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BULLINGER'S  DECADES. 


dFor  tIDe  lluWication  of  ttjc  asaorfes  of  tfic  ^fFattjfre 
anD  ©arlp  212tlritri  s  of  tfjc  Mcformrti 


THE    DECADEsUr''"''^ 


OF 


HENRY     BULLINGER, 


MINISTER    OF    THE    CHURCH    OF    ZURICH. 


TRANSLATED    BY   H.  I. 


THE   THIRD   DECADE. 


EDITED    FOR 

BV    THE 

REV.  THOMAS   HARDING,  A.M., 
or  woncrsTER  college,  oxford,  and  vicar  of  bexlev,  in  rent. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

PRINTED   AX 

THE     UNIVERSITY     PRESS. 


CONTENTS. 


Errata  and  Addenda 
The  Third  Decade. 

Dedication  to  King  Edward  the  Sixth 

The  First  Sermon 

The  Second  Sermon 

The  Third  Sermon 

The  Fourth  Sermon 

The  Fifth  Sermon 

The  Sixth  Sermon 

The  Seventh  Sermon    . 

The  Eighth  Sermon 

The  Ninth  Sermon 

The  Tenth  Sermon 


PAOK 

vii 


3 
17 
48 
G4 
111 
125 
167 
217 


300 

368 


ERRATA  AND  ADDENDA. 


IN  VOLUME  I. 

Advertisement,  p.  viii.  line  27,  for  CEcolampadiiis  read  Zuingle. 
Page  2.     In  the  Fac-Simile  Title-page  the  N.  B.  should  have  been  rather  :  "  This 
triple  table  is  in  the  editions  of  15/7  and  1584  prefixed,  but  in  that  of 
1587  (iffiaed,  to  the  Decades." 
GO,  note  1,  substitute  :  "Apostles,  edd.  1577  and  1587.     The  reading  Apostle 

is  in  ed.  1584.     Apostoli,  Lat." 
83,  note  8.    BuUinger's  quotation  here  seems  to  have  been  from  Erasmus, 

Opp.  Tom.  V.  coll.  1078,  9.  Lugd.  Bat.  1704. 
82,  note    S,! 

110  Z  ^2'  r  '^°'" "  *"^' "  ^^^^  "  ^^'^'  ^^^  ''"'^  ^^^^•" 

421]   _     7J 

152,  —  1,  for  "in  ed.  1577"  read  "in  edd.  1577,  1584,  and  1587." 


IN  VOLUME  II. 


add  "  1584  and. 


Page  30,  note  2,  after  "  wanting  in ' 

80,    _    2,    —    "but  in" 
142,    _    1,    _    "ed." 
l<j.(|,   _    5,     —       _ 

41,    —    3,  read  "page  33." 

63,    _    4,     _    "page  30." 

59,  line  18,  i'or  faint  read  feint. 

69,    —     7,  dele  comma  at  "  what" 

73,    —    17,   at  "it" 

76,    —   22,  at  "enough" 

95,    —    18,  dele  4  at  "Christ,"  and  add  it  at  "present,"  1.  20. 

ib.  note  4,  for  prcBseritissimum  read  prieseiitissi7nam. 

9H,  line  18,  dele  comma  at  "  Jesus" 
110,  note  3,  read  "page  79" 

lie,    —    1,  for  xi.  read  xix.  and  after  "fol.  8,0"  add  "14,  &c. 
135,  line  33,  for  "  be"  read  "he" 

'  'I  at  "  temple"  add  a  colon. 

150,   —  32,  J  ^ 

153,  note  8,  add  "  See  above  page  45,  note  7." 

103,  line  3,  for  "holy"  read  "only." 

ib.  dele  note  6. 
164,  note  2,  read  "page  179." 
173,   _    5,    —   "page  141." 
179,    _    (i,    —   "page  172." 

197,   5,    —   "page  165,  note  9." 

234, line  21,  dele  comma  at  "done" 

248, 19,  for  "after  flesh  "read  "after  the  flesli." 

ib.   —  20,  after   '  called  "  add  a  comma. 

ih.  note  4,  read  "page  256,  note  5." 


Viii  ERRATA    AND    ADDENDA. 

Page  257.  line  30,  read  "  page  248." 
265,  note  H,    —    "  page  165." 
281,—     8,    add  "  See  Vol.  I.  page  286,  note  3." 
290,  line  6,   for  "  death  ?"  read  "death." 
294,  —     5,  for  "  worshsip  "  read  "  worship." 
304,   —     5,  at  "afflictions"  add  a  comma. 

312,  —     8,  at  " such "  add  note  :  "great,  ed.  1577- 

313,  note  !),  read  "page  304,  note  5." 
341,  _    2,  —    "  page  333,  note  7." 


FIFTY     SERMONS 


DIVIDED   INTO 


FIVE  DECADES. 


[bULLINGER,   II.] 


THE     THIRDE     AND 

fourth  decade  of  sermons, 

WRITTEN    TO    THE 

MOST  RENOVMED  KING 

of  England,  Ediuard  the  sixt,   hy 
Henrie  Bullinger. 


The  second  Tome. 


lESVS. 

This  is  my  beloucd  sonno,  in  whom  I  am 
Avell  pleased.   Hearo  him.  Matth.  17. 


TO   THE  MOST   RENOWNED  \"'%*->.  Q  >■ 

PRINCE    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH,  ^^T?-^.'^-^ 

KING  OF  ENGLAND  AND  FRANCE,  LORD  OF  IRELAND,  ^^  ^^  * 

PRINCE  OF  WALES  AND  CORNWALL,  DEFENDER 
OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  FAITH  >. 

GRACE  A2s^D  PEACE  FROM  GOD  THE  FATHER  TPIROUGH 
OUR  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST. 


Your  Majesty  would,  I  know  right  well,  most  royal  king, 
admit  a  stranger  to  talk  with  your  grace,  if  any  new  guest 
should  come  and  promise,  that  he  would  briefly  out  of  the 
sentences  and  judgments  of  the  wisest  men  declare  the  very 
truest  causes  of  the  felicity  and  unhappy  state  of  every  king 
and  kingdom  :  and  therefore  I  hope  that  I  shall  not  be  ex- 
cluded from  the  speech  of  your  Majesty,  because  I  do  as- 
suredly promise  briefly  to  lay  down  the  very  causes  of  the 
felicity  and  lamentable  calamities  of  kings  and  their  kingdoms 
so  clearly  and  evidently,  that  the  hearer  shall  not  need  to 
trouble  himself  with  over-busy  dihgence  to  seek  out  my 
meaning,  but  only  to  give  attentive  ear  to  that  which  is 
spoken.  For,  by  the  help  of  God,  I  will  make  this  treatise 
not  to  be  perceived  only  by  the  wit  and  true  judgment  of 
learned  heads,  but  also  to  be  seen  as  it  were  with  the  eyes, 
and  handled  as  it  were  with  the  hands,  of  very  idiots  ^  and 
unlearned  hearers;  and  that  too,  not  out  of  the  doubtful 
decrees  and  devices  of  men,  but  out  of  the  assured  word  of 
the  most  true  God.  Even  the  wisest  men  do  very  often 
deceive  us  with  their  counsels,  and  greatly  endamage  the  fol- 
lowers thereof:  but  God,  which  is  the  Light  and  eternal 
Wisdom,  cannot  any  time  either  err,  or  conceive  any  false 
opinions  or  repugning  counsels ;  much  less  teach  others  any- 

[1  Bishop  Hooper  urged  BuUingcr  to  dedicate  one  of  his  wi-itings 
to  King  Edward  at  this  time.  Original  Letters,  Parker  Soc.  pp. 
73,  78.  Interesting  particulars  concerning  the  conveyance,  presen- 
tation, and  reception  in  England  of  this  Volume  occur,  in  chronological 
order,  in  the  same  Original  Letters,  as  follows :  pp.  662,  560,  665,  269, 
88.  See  also  Strypc,  Eccles.  Mem.  Book  i.  chap.  30,  Vol.  ii.  part  1, 
p.  390,  Oxf.  1822.] 

[2  Idiots  :  uneducated  persons.     See  Vol.  I.  p.  71,  n.  3.] 

1—2 


4  DEDICATION   TO   KING   EDWARD  THE  SIXTH. 

thing  but  truth,  or  seduce   any   man  out  of  the  right  way. 
The  Wisdom  of  the  Father  doth  in  the  holy  gospel  cry  out 
[johnviii.     and  say:  "I  am  the  light  of  the  world  :  he  that  folio  weth 
^^■^  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of 

life."  This  eternal  wisdom  of  God,  as  it  doth  not  disorderly 
wrap  things  up  together  and  make  them  intricate,  but  layeth 
down  in  order  and  teacheth  them  plainly ;  so  it  doth  not 
only  minister  wholesome  counsels,  but  bringeth  them  to  the 
effect  which  they  wish  that  obey  her.  Oftentimes,  verily, 
men  do  give  good  counsels,  that  are  not  unwholesome ;  but 
yet  in  their  counsels  that  is  altogether  omitted,  which  should 
have  been  first  and  especially  mentioned. 

All  the  wise  men  almost  of  the  world  have  been  of  opinion, 
that  kings  and  kingdoms  should  be  most  happy,  if  the  king 
of  the  country  be  a  wise  man ;  if  he  have  many  wise,  aged, 
faithful,  and  skilful  counsellors ;  if  his  captains  be  valiant, 
warlike,  and  fortunate  in  battle ;  if  he  abound  with  substance ; 
if  his  kingdom  be  on  every  side  surely  fortified  ;  and  lastly, 
if  his  people  be  of  one  mind  and  obedient.  All  this  I  confess 
is  truly,  rightly,  and  very  wisely  spoken  :  but  yet  there  is 
another  singular  and  most  excellent  thing,  which  is  not  here 
reckoned  among  these  necessaries,  without  which  no  true  fe- 
licity can  be  attained,  nor,  being  once  gotten,  can  safely  be 
kept ;  when  as  contrarily,  where  that  one  thing  is  present,  all 
those  other  necessaries  do  of  their  own^  accord  fall  unto  men, 
as  they  themselves  can  best  wish  or  devise.  The  Lord  our 
God  therefore,  who  is  the  only  giver  of  wise  and  perfect 
counsels,  doth  far  more  briefly  and  better  shut  up  all  shortly, 

Matt.vi.  and  say  in  the  gospel:  "But  seek  ye  first  rather  the  king- 
dom of  God,   and   the   righteousness  thereof,  and  all  these 

Lukex.  things  shall  easily  be  given ^  unto  you."  Again,  "Blessed 
are  the  eyes  which  see  that  ye  see :  for  I  say  unto  you, 
that  many  kings  and  prophets  have  wished  to  see  the  things 
that  ye  sec,  and  to   hear  the  things  that  ye  hear,  and  have 

Lukexi.  neither  heard  nor  seen  them."  And  again,  "Nay  rather, 
blessed  are  they   that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it." 

[Lukex. 42.]  And  this  thing 3  above  all  other  is  very  necessary  :  "Mary 
hath  chosen  the  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  from  her." 

ce 
issuetli  tlie 


From  whence         Haviug  my  Warrant  therefore  out  of  the  word  of  God,  I 


[1  own  wanting  in  1587.]  [2  adjicientur,  Lat.] 

[3  this  one  thing,  1577.] 


OF  THE   FELICITY,   &C.    OF   KINGDOMS.  5 

dare  boldly  avow,    that  those  kin£;s   shall  flourish  and  be  in  Mieity or 

V  ■'  o  ('•ilsinitv  of 

happy  case,  which  wholly  give  and  submit  themselves  and  their  '<!'>««  and 

i.  i.  >J  '  t/    O  Kingdoms. 

kingdoms  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  being 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords ;  acknowledging  him  to  be 
the  mightiest  prince  and  monarch  of  all,  and  themselves  his 
vassals,  subjects,  and  servants :  which,  finally,  do  not  follow 
in  all  their  affairs  their  own  mind  and  judgment,  the  laws 
of  men  that  are  contrary  to  God's  commandments,  or  the 
good  intents  of  mortal  men ;  but  do  both  themselves  follow 
the  very  laws  of  the  mightiest  king  and  monarch  ^  and  also 
cause  them  to  be  followed  throughout  all  their  kingdom, 
reforming  both  themselves  and  all  theirs  at  and  by  the  rule 
of  God's  holy  word.  For  in  so  doing  the  kingdom  shall 
flourish  in  peace  and  tranquillity,  and  the  kings  thereof  shall 
be  most  wealthy,  victorious,  long-hved,  and  happy.  For 
thus  speaketh  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  which  cannot  possibly 
lie:  "When  the  king  sitteth  upon  the  seat  of  his  kingdom,  Dent. xvii. 
he  shall  take  the  book  of  the  law  of  God,  that  he  may  read 
in  it  all  the  days  of  his  life,  that  he  may  do  it,  and  not 
decline  from  it  either  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left ;  but 
that  he  may  prolong  the  days  in  his  kingdom  both  of  his 
own  life  and  of  his  children."  And  again,  "Let  not  the-'os''-'' 
book  of  this  law  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,"  (Josue,  or  thou, 
whatsoever  thou  art  that  hast  a  kingdom),  "  but  occupy  thy 
mind  therein  day  and  night,  that  thou  mayest  observe  and 
do  according  to  all  that  is  written  therein :  for  then  shalt 
thou  make  thy  way  prosperous,  and  then  shalt  thou  be  happy." 
It  is  assuredly  true,  therefore,  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of 
the  most  true  God,  and  in  express  words  pronounced,  that 
the  prosperity  of  kings  and  kingdoms  consisteth  in  true  faith, 
diligent  hearing,  and  faithful  obeying  the  word  or  law  of 
God :  whereas  their  calamity  and  utter  overthrow  doth  follow 
the  contrary. 

This  will  I  make,  as  my  promise  is,  in  this  annexed  de- 
monstration, both  evident  to  the  eyes,  and  as  it  were  palpable 
to  the  very  hands,  by  the  examples  of  most  mighty  kings,  not 
taken  out  of  Herodotus  or  any  profane  author,  but  out  of  the 
infaUible  history  of  the  most  sacred  scriptures.  Saul,  the  first  s-""'' 
king  of  Israel,  was  both  most  fortunate  and  victorious,  so  long 
as  he  did  in  all  things  follow  the  word  of  God :  but  when  he 
['  a;tcrni,  Lat.  eternal  monarch,  ed.  1577.] 


6  DEDICATION  TO   KING   EDWARD  THE  SIXTH. 

once  gave  place  to  his  own  good  intents  and  meaning,  being 
utterly  forsaken  of  the  Lord,  he  heareth  Samuel  say  to  his 
xiv!Tv.Tc.  face :  "  Thou  hast  refused  and  cast  ojff  the  word  of  the  Lord ; 
therefore  hath  God  also  cast  thee  away,  that  thou  shalt  not 
be  king  of  Israel."  I  will  not  here  stand  over  largely  to 
declare  the  miseries  and  calamities,  wherein  he  was  wrapped 
from  that  time  forward.  For  as  he  himself  was  horribly 
haunted  and  vexed  with  the  evil  spirit,  so  did  he  not  cease  to 
vex  and  torment  his  people  and  kingdom,  until  he  had  brought 
them  all  into  extreme  danger,  where  he  and  some  of  his  were 
slain  and  put  to  the  worst  by  the  heathen,  their  enemies, 
leaving  nothing  beliind  him  but  a  perpetual  shame  and  endless 
ignominy.  Next  after  Saul  doth  David  succeed  in  the  seat  and 
kingdom,  who  without  all  controversy  was  the  most  happiest 
of  all  other  kings  and  princes.  But  what  store  ho  did  set  by 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  it  is  evident  to  be  seen  by  many  no- 
table acts  of  his,  and  especially  in  that  alphabetical  psalm, 
which  in  order  and  number  is  the  hundredth  and  nineteenth^  : 
for  therein  he  setteth  forth  the  praise  of  God's  word,  the 
wholesome  virtue  whereof  he  doth  at  large  wonderfully  ex- 
pound, in  teaching  what  great  desire  and  zeal  we  ought  to 
have  thereto.  For  he  was  schooled  and  had  learned  before, 
by  private  mishaps  and  shameful  deeds,  and  lastly,  by  the  un- 
happy sedition  of  his  graceless  son  Absolon,  what  an  evil  it  is 
Solomon,  to  decHue  from  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Salomon,  the  son  of 
^Kingsiv.  j)g^yj(j^  ^Yie  wisest  and  most  commended  king  of  all  the  world, 
did  so  long  enjoy  prosperity  and  praise  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord,  as  he  did  not  neglect  with  reverence  to  obey  his  word. 
But  when  once  he  had  transgressed  the  Lord's  commandment, 
straightway  the  Lord  did  say  unto  him :  "  Forasmuch  as  this 
is  done  of  thee,  and  that  thou  hast  not  kept  mine  ordinances 
and  my  statutes,  which  I  commanded  thee,  I  will  rend  thy 
kingdom  from  thee,  and  will  give  it  to  thy  servant."  And 
now  mark,  that,  according  to  that  saying,  immediately  after 
Salomon's  death  the  kingdom  was  rent  into  two  parts,  and 

[^  This  Psalm  is  divided  (probably  for  tho  advantage  of  memory), 
according  to  tho  number  of  letters  which  compose  the  Ilebiew  Alpha- 
bet, into  twenty- two  portions,  of  eight  versos  each;  and  not  only  every 
portion,  but  every  verso  of  that  portion,  begins  with  the  letter  appro- 
priated to  it.  Sec  Bp  Home,  Conmicnt.  on  Psalms,  Ai-gum.  to 
Psalm  cxix.] 


OF   THE   FELICITY,   &C.   OF   KlXGDOiMS.  7 

that  ten  tribes  followed  Jeroboam,  the  servant  of  Salomon ;  R<.i.nain. 
two  tribes  clave  still  to  lloboam,  Salomon's  son.  He,  for 
neglecting  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  following  after  strange 
gods,  is  overwhelmed  with  an  infinite  number  of  woful 
miseries :  for  the  scripture  testifieth,  that  the  Egyptians 
came  up  against  Illerusalem,  and  did  destroy  the  city,  palace, 
and  temple  of  the  Lord. 

Abia,  the  son  of  Eoboam,  overcame  the  host  of  Israel,  and  Abia. 
bare  away  a  triumphant  victory,  when  he  had  wounded  and      ''°'^'''"  ' 
slain  five  hundred  thousand  men  of  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel : 
and  of  this  so  great  a  victory  no  other  cause  is  mentioned, 
but  because  he  believed  the  word  of  the  Lord.      Next  after 
Abia  did  his  son  Asa,  a  renowned  and  most  puissant  kino;,  Asa. 

.  O'  2  Chron.  xiv. 

reign  m  his  stead ;  of  whom  the  holy  scripture  testifieth, 
that  he  abolished  all  superstition,  and  did  restore  sincere 
religion  according  to  the  word  of  God :  whereby  he  obtained 
a  most  flourishing  kingdom  in  peace  and  quietness  by  the  space 
of  forty  years.  Again,  of  Josaphat,  Asa  his  son,  we  read :  josaphat. 
"  The  Lord  was  with  Josaphat,  because  he  walked  in  the 
former  ways  of  his  father  David,  and  sought  not  Baalim, 
but  sought  the  God  of  his  father,  and  walked  in  his  com- 
mandment." And  therefore  for  his  prince-like  wealth  and 
famous  victories  he  was  renowned  through  all  the  world. 
But  to  his  son  Joram,  who  forsook  the  word  of  God,  Helias  joram. 
the  prophet  said :  "  Because  thou  hast  not  walked  in  the  ways  ^^''"'"" ''''' 
of  Josaphat  thy  father,  and  in  the  ways  of  king  Asa,  but  hast 
walked  the  ways  of  the  kings  of  Israel ;  behold,  with  a 
great  plague  will  the  Lord  smite  thy  folk,  thy  children,  thy 
wives,  and  all  thy  goods  ;  and  thou  shalt  suffer  great  pain, 
even  a  disease  of  the  bowels,  until  thy  bowels^  fall  out." 
And  whatsoever  the  Lord  threatened  to  bring  upon  him  by 
the  mouth  of  the  prophet,  that  did  the  unhappy  king  feci  with 
unspeakable  torments  to  his  great  reproaches  :  being  made  an 
example  of  wretchedness  and  misery,  which  doth  light  on  all 
the  pates  of  them  that  do  forsake  the  word  of  God.  Neither 
was  the  hap  of  Ochosias^  son  to  king  Joram  and  Athalia,  in  ochosias. 
any  point  better:  for  at  the  commandment  of  Jehu  he  was  ^  ^'"'^^ ''''" 
stabbed  in,  and  slain  wretchedly ;  because  he  chose  rather  to 
follow  the  laws  and  rites  of  the  kings  of  Israel  than  the  very 

[2  Substituted  for  another  word  used  by  tbo  translator.] 
P  Ahaziah.] 


2  Chron, 
xxiii.  xxiv 


8  DEDICATION  TO  KING  EDWARD  THE  SIXTH. 

joas.  true  laws  of  the  Lord  his  God.     Moreover  Joas,  a  child  yet 

but  seven  years  old,  being  by  the  labour,  faith,  and  diligence 
of  the  faithful  priest  Joiada  restored  to  and  settled  in  the  place 
of  his  father,  who  was  slain  before  him,  reigned,  after  the 
wicked  Athaha  was  put  to  death,  most  happily  and  in  a 
prosperous  state,  so  long  as  Joiada  the  priest  did  live^  But 
when  the  high  priest  was  once  departed  out  of  this  world  unto 
the  Lord,  the  king,  being  immediately  seduced  by  the  mahce 
and  wiliness  of  his  wicked  counsellors,  left  oif  to  follow  the 
word  of  the  Lord  :  and  as  he  ceased  to  follow  the  Lord,  so 
did  felicity  and  glory  forsake  to  follow  him.  For  the  Syrians, 
coming  on  with  a  very  small  power  of  armed  men,  do  destroy 
and  put  to  flight  an  infinite  host  of  Jewish  people  ;  they  put  to 
the  sword  all  Joas  his  counsellors,  and  make  a  spoil  of  all 
his  kingdom.  And  Joas,  for  rejecting  the  Lord,  deserved  with 
excessive  grief  first  to  behold  this  misery,  then  to  pine  away 
with  a  long  consuming  sickness,  and  lastly,  upon  his  bed,  to 
have  his  throat  cruelly  cut  of  his  own  household  servants. 

Amasias^,  the  son  of  Joas,  is  renowned  for  a  famous  vic- 
tory which  he  obtained  upon  the  Idumites,  for  no  other  cause 
but  for  obeying  the  word  of  the  Lord.  But  afterward,  when 
he  began  to  rebel  against  God  and  his  prophets,  he  is  in  battle 
vanquished  by  Joas,  king  of  Israel ;  by  whom  when  he  was 
spoiled,  and  compelled  to  see  the  overthrow  of  a  great  part  of  the 
walls  of  Hierusalem,  he  was  himself  at  the  last  by  conspirators 
entrapped,  and  miserably  murdered.  Next  after  him  suc- 
ceeded his  son  Osias^,  who  also,  as  well  as  the  father,  enjoyed 
a  singular  felicity  and  most  happy  life,  so  long  as  he  gainsaid 
not  the  mouth  of  God :  but  when  he  would  usurp  and  take 
upon  him  that  ofiice,  which  God  had  properly  appointed  to 
the  Levites  alone,  directly  opposing  liimself  against  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  he  was  stricken  with  a  leprosy,  and  for  his  un- 
cleanness  was  compelled  severally^  to  dwell  aloof  in  banishment 
from  the  company  of  men,  even  until  his  last  and  dying  day. 

jotham.       Jotham    also,   the    son  of  Osias,   is  reported   to  have   been 
wealthy  and  victorious  in  his  wars :  the  cause  of  this  felicity 

['  IIujus  cnim  suggcstione  et  vigilantia  ad  normam  verbi  Domini 
in  omnibus  rcspexit  rex,  Lat.  omitted  by  tbo  translator.  For  by  his 
instructions  and  watcLful  superintendenco  the  king  had  regard  in  all 
things  to  the  rule  of  the  Lord's  word.] 

[2  Amaziali.]  p  Uzziah.]  [<  severally,  apart.] 


2  Chron 
xxvii 


OF   THE   FELICITY,   &C.   OF   KINGDOMS.  9 

the  scripture  doth  briefly  add,  and  say  :  "  Jotham  became 
mighty,  because  he  directed  his  ways  before  the  Lord  his  God." 
But  contrarily,  Achaz,  the  son  of  Jotham,  as  he  was  of  all  Achaz. 
the  Jewish  kings  almost  the  wickedest,  so  was  he  in  his  life  xxvui. 
the  most  unfortunate.  For  insomuch  as  he  forsook  the  law 
of  the  Lord  his  God,  the  Lord  delivered  both  him  and  his 
people  first  into  the  hands  of  the  king  of  Syrians,  and  after- 
ward into  the  hands  of  the  Israelites,  who  in  one  day  slew 
one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  Jews,  and  took  captive 
away  with  them  two  hundred  thousand  women  and  children. 
So  Achaz  himself,  and  all  that  were  his,  by  feeling  had 
proof  of  all  kind  of  calamities,  being  made  an  example  to 
terrify  all  other  that  do  gainsay  the  word  of  God. 

The  good  and  godly  king  Ezechias  succeeded  his  ungodly  iiezechiah. 
father  in  the  seat  and  kingdom.  Of  him  we  have  this  testimony 
in  the  scripture  :  "  He  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that  his  father  David  did.  He  put 
away  the  high  places,  and  brake  the  images,  and  cut  down 
the  groves,  and  all-to''  brake  the  brasen  serpent  which  Moses 
had  made :  for  unto  those  days  the  children  of  Israel  burnt 
sacrifice  to  it.  He  trusted  in  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  For 
he  clave  to  the  Lord,  and  departed  not  from  him,  but  kept 
his  commandments,  which  the  Lord  commanded  Moses." 
And  now,  let  us  hear  what  followed  upon  this  obedience  and 
faith  of  his.  The  scripture  goeth  forward,  and  saith :  "  And 
the  Lord  was  with  him,  so  that  he  prospered  in  all  things  that 
he  took  in  hand."  While  he  did  reign,  the  most  ancient  and 
puissant  monarchy  of  the  Assyrians  was  broken  and  dimin- 
ished :  for  when  Senacherib,  king  of  Assyria,  besieged  the  city 
of  Jerusalem,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  in  one  night  slew  in  the 
Assyrian  camp  one  hundred  fourscore  and  five  thousand 
soldiers.  And  the  king  of  Babylon  also  did  very  honourably 
by  his  ambassadors  send  prince-like  gifts  unto  P^zechias, 
desiring  earnestly  his  amity  and  friendship  :  for  the  glory  of 
that  most  godly  king  was  blown  abroad,  and  known  in  all  the 
world.  Again,  when  his  son  Manasses,  a  very  wicked  man,  did  not  2^,^"n';'if^,jj 
tread  the  path  and  express  the  deeds  of  his  most  holy  father, 
but,  being  made  king  in  the  twelfth  year  of  his  age,  did  of 
purpose  cross  the  word  of  God,  and  brought  in  again  all  the 
superstition  which  his  father  had  abolished,  he  was  taken 
[^  all-to:  entirely.] 


10  DEDICATION  TO   KING  EDWARD  THE  SIXTH. 

captive  and  carried  away  to  Babylon :  and  although,  by  the 
goodness  and  mercy  of  God,  he  was  restored  to  his  seat  again, 
yet,  when  he  died,  he  left  a  maimed  and  a  troublesome  kingdom 

Ammcn.  uuto  his  SOU  Ammou ;  who  also,  for  his  rebelling  against  the 
'""*'""■  word  of  God,  as  a  most  unfortunate  man  reigned  but  two  years 
only,  and  was  at  the  last  wretchedly  slain  by  his  own  house- 
hold servants. 

josjas.  In  place  of  his  murdered  father  was  his  son  Josias  settled 

'  in  the  kingdom,  being,  when  he  was  crowned,  a  child  but 
eight  years  old.  Of  all  the  kings  of  Juda  he  was  the  flower 
and  especial  crown.  He  reigned  quietly  and  in  all  points 
most  happily  by  the  space  of  one  and  thirty  years.  Now 
the  scripture,  which  cannot  lie,  doth  paint  out  to  our  eyes  the 
faith  and  obedience  which  he  did  devoutly  shew  to  the  word 
of  God,  for  which  that  felicity  did  accompany  his  kingdom. 
He  was  nothing  moved  with  the  admonitions  of  his  father 
Ammon's  counsellors ;  but  so  soon  as  he  had  heard  the  words 
of  the  law  read  out  of  the  book,  which  Helkia  the  high  priest 
found  in  the  temple  at  Hierusalem,  he  straightway  committed 
himself  wholly  to  God  and  his  word.  Neither  stayed  he  to 
look  for  the  minds  and  reformations  of  other  kings  and  kins:- 
doms  ;  but,  quickly  forecasting  the  best  for  his  people,  he  began 
to  reform  the  corrupted  religion,  which  he  did  especially  in 
the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age.  And  in  that  reformation  he 
had  a  regard  always  to  follow  the  meaning  of  the  holy  scrip- 
ture alone,  and  not  to  give  ear  to  the  deeds  of  his  predecessors, 
to  the  prescribed  order  of  long  continuance,  nor  to  the  common 
voices  of  the  greatest  multitude.  For  he  assembled  his  people 
together,  before  whom  he  laid  open  the  book  of  God's  law, 
and  appointed  all  things  to  be  ordained  according  to  the  rule 
of  his  written  word.  And  thereupon  it  comcth  which  we  find 
written,  that  he  spared  not  the  ancient  temples  and  long  ac- 
customed rites,  which  Solomon  and  Jeroboam  had  erected  and 
ordained  against  the  word  of  God.  To  be  short,  this  king 
Josias  pulled  down,  and  overthrew,  whatsoever  was  set  up  in 
the  church  or  kingdom  of  Juda  against  the  word  of  God.  And 
lest,  peradventure,  any  one  should  cavil  and  say,  that  he  was 
over  hardy  and  too  rough  in  his  dealings,  the  scripture  glveth 
this  testimony  of  him,  and  saith :  "Like  unto  him  was  there 
no  king  before  him,  which  turned  to  the  Lord  with  all  liis 
heart,  with  all  his  soul,  and  all  his  might,  according  to  all  the 


OF   THE   FELICITY,   &C.   OF   KINGDOMS.  11 

law  of  Moses:  neither  after  him  arose  there  any  such  as  he." 
Whereas  we  read  therefore,  that  this  so  commended  and  most 
fortunate  kinof  was  overcome  and  slain  in  a  foughtcn  battle, 
that  death  of  his  is  to  be  counted  a  part  of  his  felicity,  and  not 
of  his  misery.  For  the  Lord  himself  said  to  Josias :  "I  will  i-oKin^xxii 
gather  thee  unto  thy  fathers,  and  in  peace  shalt  thou  be  buried,  i^^^'^J 
that  thine  eyes  may  not  see  all  the  evil  which  I  will  bring  upon 
this  place."  For  there  is  no  greater  argument,  that  the 
people  and  very  princes  of  the  kingdom  under  that  most  holy 
king  were  mere  hypocrites  and  idolaters,  than  for  because,  next 
and  immediately  after  his  death,  both  his  sons  and  peers,  re- 
jecting the  word  of  God,  did  bring  in  again  all  superstition 
and  blasphemous  wickedness.  Whereupon  we  read  that  for 
the  whole  twenty-two  years,  wherein  the  kings  of  Juda  did 
reign  after  the  death  of  Josias,  there  was  no  peace  or  quiet- 
ness in  Hierusalem,  but  perpetual  seditions  and  most  bloody 
murders.  Next  after  Josias  reigned  his  son  Joachas  :  but  joachas. 
within  three  months  after  he  was  taken,  bound,  and  led  cap-  j^honTas  & 
tive  away  into  the  land  of  Egypt.  After  the  leading  away  of  aKfnVfxui. 
Joachas,  his  brother  Joachim  ware  the  crown :  who  in  the 
eleventh  year  of  his  reign,  being  bound  in  chains,  was  slain  by 
Nabuchodonoser,  and  lastly  (as  Jeremy  saith)  was  buried  in  the  [jer.  xxii. 
sepulchre  of  an  ass  ^  In  Joachim's  stead  was  his  son  Jechonias 
set  up ;  but,  about  three  months  after,  he  with  his  princes  and 
substance  was  taken  captive  and  led  away  to  Babylon.  After 
him  the  kingdom  was  given  to  Zedechias,  the  son  of  Josias : 
but,  because  he  would  not  obey  the  word  of  God  preached  by 
the  prophet  Jeremy,  he  loseth  both  his  life  and  kingdom  in 
the  eleventh  year  of  his  reign :  in  whose  time  also  the  temple 
is  set  of  fire,  Hierusalem  ^  is  sacked,  and  the  people  slain  for 
the  most  part,  or  led  away  captive.  Thus  much  hitherto 
touching  the  kings  of  Juda.  For  in  Zedechias  both  the  king- 
dom and  majesty  or  dignity  thereof  did  fail  and  make  an  end. 

To  these  if  we  add  the  ends  and  destinies  of  the  kings  of  The  kings  of 

.    .         Israel. 

Israel,  we  shall  again  be  compelled  to  confess,  that  all  felicity 
of  kings  and  kingdoms  do  consist  in  hearing  and  following  the 
word  of  God ;  and  that  contrarily,  calamities  and  miseries  do 
rise  by  the  contempt  and  neglecting  of  the  same.      For  Jero- 

[1  sepultura  asini,  Lat.] 

[2  sedcs  regni  vetustissima,  Lat.  omitted :  the  most  ancient  seat  of 
the  kingdom.] 


12  DEDICATION  TO  KING  EDWARD  THE  SIXTH. 

boam,  the  first  king  of  the  separated  Israelites,  letting  pass 
the  word  of  God,  did  ordain  new  rites  to  worship  the  Lord 
by,  and  erected  new  temples ;  but  by  so  doing  he  overthrew 

n  Kings  xii.  himself,  his  house,  and  all  his  kingdom.  After  him  doth 
Baasa  succeed  both  in  the  kingdom  and  idolatrous  religion, 

[1  Kings  XV.  which  was  the  cause  why  he  and  his  were  utterly  destroyed. 

'  '    '  14-].    Then  foUoweth  Amri,  the  father  of  Achab;  who,  for  augment- 


[1  Kings 


2a.] 


[2  Kings  xii 


ing  idolatrous  impiety,  is  horribly  slain  with  all  his  family,  so 
that  not  one  of  his  escaped  the  revenging  sword  of  God's  anger 
and  jealousy.  And  for  because  Jehu  was  faithful  and  vahant 
in  killing  those  tyrants,  in  dispatching  Baal's  priests,  and 
rooting  out  of  idolatrous  superstition,  the  Lord  doth  promise, 
and  say  unto  him:  "Because  thou  hast  zealously  done  that 
which  thou  hast  done,  according  to  all  that  is  right  in  my 
sight  S  therefore  shall  thy  children,  unto  the  fourth  generation, 
sit  on  the  seat  of  Israel."  And  we  read  verily,  that  his  sons 
and  nephews  were  notable  princes,  which  succeeded  in  the 
kingdom,  even  Joachas,  Joas,  Jeroboam  the  second  of  that 
name,  and  Zacharias.  The  other  kings,  as  Solium,  Manahe", 
Pekaiah,  Peka,  and  Osee,  had  their  kingdom  altogether  like  to 
the  kingdom  of  the  son  of  Josias,  to  wit,  in  a  seditious,  trou- 
blesome, and  a  most  miserable  taking.  For  they  despised  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord :  therefore  were  they  utterly  cut  off,  and 
for  the  most  part  either  slain,  or  carried  away  captive,  by 
their  enemies  the  Assyrians.  From  the  division  of  the  people 
into  two  several  kingdoms  after  the  death  of  Solomon,  there 
were  in  number  nineteen  kings  of  Israel,  and  eighteen  of  Juda. 
The  kings  of  Israel  altogether  reigned  about  two  hundred  and 
seventy -two  years,  and  they  of  Juda  about  three  hundred  and 
ninety-three^.  Now  by  the  space  of  so  many  years,  in  the 
most  renowned  and  peculiar  people  of  God,  which  was  as  it 
were  a  glass  set  before  the  eyes  of  all  nations  to  view  and 
behold  themselves  in,  there  might  the  truest  causes  of  felicity 
and  calamities  of  all  kings  and  kingdoms  in  the  whole  world 
be   so   lively  represented  and  perfectly  painted,  that  there 

[1  juxta  omnia  qua)  fuerunt  in  covde  moo,  Lat.] 

[2  Manahem,  Lat.] 

[3  Strictly  speaking,  the  number  of  the  kings  of  Jnilah  was  19, — 
not  including  Atlialiah's  usurpation.  According  to  Usher,  the  kingdom 
of  Judali  lasted  388  years;  and  the  kingdom  of  Israel  254  years. 
Annal.  Vet.  Test.] 


OF   THE   FELICITY,   &C.   OF   KINGDOMS.  13 

should  be   no   need   to   fetch  from  elsewhere   a  more  plain 
and  evident  demonstration  of  the  same. 

And  yet  for  all  that,  we  are  not  without  other  foreign  Foreign 
examples,  whereby  to  prove  it.     For  the  Pharaos  of  Egypt  '°^^ 
were  the  destruction  both   to  themselves  and  also  to  their* 
kingdom,  by^  their  stubborn  rebellion  against   God's  word. 
Again,  Darius  Priscus*^  and  the   great   K^abuchodonosor  en- 
joyed no  small  fehcity,  because  they  despised  not  the  coun- 
sels  of  Daniel.      Balthasar,   king   of  Babylon,   a   despiteful 
contemner   of  God  and  his  word,  is  in  one  night  destroyed 
with  all  his  power  :  Babylon,  the  most  ancient  and  famous 
city  of  the  world,  is  taken,  set  on  fire,  sacked,  and  overthrown, 
and   the  kingdom    translated  to   the    Modes  and    Persians.  [Dan.  iv-vi  ] 
Neither  were  the  kings  of  Persia  unfortunate  at  all,  I  mean, 
Cyrus,  and  Darius,   otherwise    called   Artaxerxes'^;    because  Kings  which 
they  favoured  the  word  of  God,  and  did  promote  his  people  ood" word, 
and  true  rehgion.      But  on  the  other  side  we  read  that  An-  thich  plr- 

,  Q    -r,    .    ,  .  secuted  the 

tiochus,  surnamed^  Epiphanes,  was  most  imfortunate ;  who,  same. 
as  it  were,  making  war  with  God  himself,  did  most  wickedly 
burn  and  make  away  the  books  of  holy  scripture^.  Fur- 
thermore, we  have  as  great  store  of  examples,  also,  even  out 
of  those  histories  which  followed  immediately  the  time  of 
Christ  his  ascension.  For  so  many  Roman  emperors,  kings, 
and  princes  as  persecuted  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and 
Church  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  advanced  idolatry  and 
superstitious  blasphemy,  so  many,  I  say,  did  die  a  foul  and 
shameful  death.  Of  this  are  Eusebius  and  Orosius,  renowned 
historiographers,  assured  witnesses'*'.  Again,  St  Augustine, 
Lib.  V.  cle  Civit.  Dei,  affirmeth,  that  incredible  victories,  very 
great  glory,  and  most  absolute  felicity  hath  been  given  by 
God  unto  those  kings,  which  have  in  faith  sincerely  embraced 

[•*  vetustissimum,  Lat.;  omitted  by  the  translator : — most  ancient.] 

[5  sola,  Lat. ;  omitted  by  the  translator :  by  nothing  but  by  their 
rebellion.] 

[6  i.  e.,  Darius  the  Mede,  or  Cyaxares  the  second,  uncle  of  Cyrus. 
Bulling,  in  Apocalyps.  Serm.  lxxi.     See  also  Vol.  l.  p.  51.  n.  3.] 

[7  See  Vol.  I.  p.  318,  note  1.] 

[8  licet  cognominatus,  Lat ;  although  siirnamed.] 

P  iMaccab.  i.  20—57.  Prideaux's  Connection,  Vol.  ii.  pp.  172— 188, 
ed.  Mc  Caul.  Lend.  1845.J 

[10  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  vni.  cap.  16.  Oros.  adv.  Pagan.  Hist. 
Lib.  VII.  capp.  7,  22,  &c."I 


14  DEDICATION  TO   KING  EDWARD   THE  SIXTH. 

Christ  their  Lord,  and  utterly  subverted  idolatry  and  super- 
stitious blasphemy  ^  It  is  evident  therefore,  that  felicity 
Cometh  by  good-will  and  obedience  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
that  all  kings  and  kingdoms  shall  be  unhappy,  which  forsake 
the  word  of  God,  and  turn  themselves  to  men's  inventions. 
And  this  I  have,  I  trust,  declared  hitherto  so  plainly,  that 
the  hearers  may  seem  not  only  to  understand,  but  also  to 
see  before  their  eyes,  and  as  it  were  to  feel  with  their  hands, 
the  pith  and  material  substance  of  this  whole  treatise. 

But  whereunto  doth  all  this  tend  ?  That  your  royal  Ma- 
jesty, forsooth,  may  undoubtingly  know,  and  be  assuredly 
persuaded,  that  true  felicity  is  gotten  and  retained  by  faithful 
study  in  the  word  of  God :  to  wit,  if  you  submit  yourself 
altogether  and  your  whole  kingdom  to  Christ,  the  chief  and 
highest  prince ;  if,  throughout  your  whole  realm,  you  dispose 
and  order  religion,  and  all  matters  of  justice,  according  to 
the  rule  of  God's  holy  word  ;  if  you  dechne  not  one  hair's 
breadth  from  that  rule,  but  study  to  advance  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  and  go  on  (as  hitherto  you  have  happily  begun) 
to  subvert  and  tread  under  foot  the  usurped  power  of  that 
tyrannical  antichrist.  Not  that  your  Majesty  needeth  any 
whit  at  all  mine  admonitions  or  instructions :  for  you  have 
undoubtedly  that  heavenly  teacher  in  your  mind  (I  mean, 
the  Holy  Ghost 2),  which  inspireth  you  with  the  very  true 
doctrine  of  sincere  and  true  religion.  Your  Majesty  hath  the 
sacred  Bible,  the  holiest  book  of  all  books,  wherein,  as  in  a 
perfect  rule,  the  whole  matter  of  piety  and  our  true  salvation 
is  absolutely  contained  and  plainly  set  down 3.  Your  Majesty 
hath  noble  men,  and  many  counsellors,  belonging  to  your  king- 
dom, faithful,  vahant,  and  skilful  heads  both  in  the  law  of  God 
and  men,  who  for  their  wisdom  and  love  that  they  bear  to  the 
sincere  truth  arc  greatly  commended  among  foreign  nations. 
And  for  that  cause  all  the  faithful  do  think  and  call  your 
Majesty  most  happy.    But  that  happy  king  Ezechias,  although 

[1  Aug.  de  Civit.  Dei,  Lib.  v.  cap.  24.  Quaj  sit  Christianorum  im- 
pcratorum,  ct  quam  vera  felicitas.    See  also  Vol.  I.  p.  385,  n.  3.] 

['-'  Not  in  the  original  Lat.] 

[3  Ilabet  doctos,  sapientes,  pics,  fidclcs  in  regno  doctorcs  et  pas- 
tores  multos,  Lat.  omitted  by  the  translator :  (your  majesty)  hath  in 
your  kingdom  many  learned,  wise,  pious,  and  faithful  teachers  and 
pastors.] 


OF   THE   FELICITY,   &C.   OF   KINGDOMS.  15 

he  did  especially  use  the  help  of  those  excellent  men  Esay 
and  Micheas,  did  not  despise  faithful  admonishers,  even  among 
the  meanest  sort  of  Levites :  neither  thought  they,  that  in  [2  chr 
admonishing  the  king  they  lost  and  spent  their  labour  in  vainS  ""''  ^ 
I  therefore,  having  good  affiance  in  your  Majesty's  good  and 
godly  disposition,  do  verily  hope,  that  this  short  discourse  of 
mine,  touching  the  true  causes  of  the  fehcity  and  calamities 
of  kings  and  kingdoms,  shall  have  a  profiting  place^  with  you. 
Even  I,  which  twelve  years  since  did  dedicate  unto  your 
father  of  famous  memory,  Henry  the  Eighth,  a  book  touching 
the  authority  of  the  holy  scripture,  and  the  institution  and 
function  of  bishops^,  against  the  pontifical  chufi's'^  of  the 
Romish  superstition  and  tyranny  ;  and  now  by  experience 
know,  that  that  labour  of  mine  brought  forth  no  small  fruit 
within  the  realm  of  England ;  am  now  so  bold  again  as  to 
dedicate  these  my  sermons  unto  your  royal  Majesty. 

In  these  sermons  I  handle  not  the  least  and  lowest  points 
or  places  of  Christian  religion,  the  law,  sin, 'grace,  the  Gospel, 
and  repentance.  Neither  do  I,  as  I  think,  handle  them  irre- 
ligiously. For  I  use  to  confer  one  scripture  with  another; 
than  which  there  is  no  way  better  and  safer  to  follow  in  the 
handling  of  matters  touching  our  religion.  And  for  because 
you  are  the  true  defender  of  the  Christian  faith,  it  cannot 
be  but  well^  undoubtedly,  to  have  Christian  sermons  come 
abroad  under  the  defence  of  your  Majesty's  name.  My 
mind  was,  according  to  mine  ability  and  the  measure  of  faith 
which  is  in  me,  to  further  the  cause  of  true  religion,  which 
now  beginneth  to  bud  in  England,  to  the  great  rejoicing  of 
all  good  people.  I  have  therefore  written  these  sermons  at 
large,  and  handled  the  matter  so,  that  of  one  many  more 
may  be  gotten :   wherein  the  pastor's  discretion  shall  easily 

[•*  oleum  et  operam  perdere,  Lat.] 

[s  ct  locum  et  fructum  habituram,  Lat.] 

[0  Interesting  particulars  of  the  reception  of  this  book  in  England 
in  1538  occur  in  Original  Letters,  Parker  Soc.  pp.  611,  618.  See 
also  p.  313  for  a  testimony  to  the  usefulness  of  Bullinger's  writings  in 
England.] 

[7  antistites,  Lat. ;  chuff,  a  word  of  no  certain  etymology,  but  signify- 
ing a  rough  uneducated  clown  of  portly  appeai-ance.  Toone's  Glossary, 
in  voc.  Lond.  1834.  See  Shakspeare's  Henr.  IV.  Part  i.  Sc.  2,  Act  2, 
—"yo  fat  chuffs."] 

[8  minime  erit  ingi-atum,  Lat.] 


16  DEDICATION   TO    KING   EDWARD  THE  SIXTH. 

discern  what  is  most  available  and  profitable  for  every  several 
church.      And   the  pastor's  duty  verily  is  rightly  to  mow^ 
the  word  of  truth,   and  aptly  to  give  the  fodder  of  life  unto 
the  Lord's  flock.     They  will  not  think  much^,  I  hope,  because 
in  these   sermons  I  do  use  the  same  matter,  the  same  argu- 
ments, and  the  very  same  words,  that  otlier  before  me,  both 
ancient  and  late  writers,  (whom  I  have  judged  to  follow  the 
scriptures),   have    used   yer^  now,   or   which  I  myself  have 
elsewhere    alleged  in  other  books    of  mine  own  heretofore 
published.    For  as  this  doctrine,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  points 
agreeable  to  itself,  is  safest  to  be  followed,  so  hath  it  always 
been  worthily  praised  of  all  good  and  godly  people.      If  the 
Lord  grant  me  life,  leisure,  and  strength,  I  will  shortly  add 
the   other  eight   sermons  of  the   fourth  decade,  which    are 
behind*.     And  all  that  I  say  here,  I  speak  it  still  without 
all  prejudice  to  the  judgment  of  the  right  and  true  Church. 
Our  Lord  Jesus,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords, 
lead  you   with   the  Spirit  ^   and  defend  you  to 
the  glory  of  his  name,  and  safety  of  all 
your  realm.      At  Tigure,   in    the 
month  of  March,  the  year 
of  our  Lord, 
1550. 
Your  Majesty's  dutifully  bounden 
and  daily  Orator^, 

Henry  Bullinger, 
Minister  of  the  Church  at   Tigure  in  Swicerland. 

[^  secare,  Lat.  2  Tim.  ii.  15,  Erasmus'  version : — recta  sectio  (verbi 
veritatis)  est,  explicandi  ratio  ad  ajdificationem  formata.  Calv.  Com- 
ment, in  loc] 

[2  His  non  ingratum  fuerit,  Lat.] 

[3  yer :  ere,  before.  See  Tyndale's  Doctrinal  Treat.  Park.  Soc. 
p.  51,  note  1,  and  455,  note  1.] 

[4  Bullinger  fulfilled  this  promise  in  the  following  August.  See 
Dedication  prefixed  to  the  Third  Sermon  of  the  fourth  Decade.] 

[5  Spiritu  suo,  Lat. ;  his  Spirit.] 

[•5  Orator :  boad-man,  or  prayer-man.  Sec  note  3,  Tyndale's  Doc- 
trinal Treatises.    Tarker  Soc.  ed.  p.  331.] 


RlU.  FEB  1881 


THE 

THIRD  DECADE  OF  SERMON 

WRITTEN  BY 

HENRY    BULLINGER. 


OF    THE    FOURTH    PRECEPT    OF    THE    SECOND    TABLE, 
WHICH  IS  IN  ORDER  THE  EIGHTH  OF  THE  TEN  COM- 
MANDMENTS,  THOU    SHALT   NOT    STEAL. 
OF  THE  OWNING  AND  POSSESSING  OF  PROPER 
GOODS,  AND  OF  THE  RIGHT  AND  LAW- 
FUL   GETTING    OF    THE    SAME; 
AGAINST  SUNDRY  KINDS 
OF   THEFT. 

THE    FIRST    SERMON. 

For  the  sustaining  and  nourishing  of  our  hves  and  fami- 
lies, we  men  have  need  of  earthly  riches.  Next  therefore 
after  the  commandments  touching  the  preservation  of  man's 
life,  and  the  holy  iieeping  of  wedlock's  knot,  in  this  fourth 
commandment  a  law  is  given  for  the  true  getting,  possessing, 
using  and  bestowing  of  wealth  and  worldly  substance ;  to  the 
end  that  we  should  not  get  them  by  theft  or  evil  means,  that 
we  should  not  possess  them  unjustly,  nor  use  or  spend  them 
unlawfully.  Justice  requireth  to  use  riches  well,  and  to  give  to 
every  man  that  which  is  his  :  now,  since  the  laws  of  God  be  the 
laws  of  justice,  they  do  very  necessarily  by  way  of  command- 
ment say,  "Thou  shalt  not  steal."  These  words,  again,  in  xhe eighth 
number  are  few ;  but  in  sense,  of  ample  signification.  For  in  men™''"'^" 
this  precept  theft  itself  is  utterly  forbidden ;  all  shifting 
subtilties  are  flatly  prohibited  ;  deceit  and  guile  is  banished  ; 
all  cozening  fetches  are  clean  cut  off;  covetousncss,  idleness, 
prodigality,  or  lavish  spending,  and  all  unjust  dealing,  is 
herein  debarred  :  moreover,  charge  is  here  given  for  main- 
taining of  justice,  and  that  especially  in  contracts  and  bargains. 
Wonderful  turmoils,  verily,  are  raised  up  and  begun  among 
men  of  this  world  about  the  getting,  possessing,  and  spending 
of  temporal  riches :  it  was  expedient  therefore,  that  God  in 

[BULLINGER,   II. J 


substance. 


18  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

his  law,  which  he  ordaineth  for  the  health,  commodity,  and 
peace  of  us  men,  should  appoint  a  state,  and  prescribe  an 
order,  for  earthly  goods  :  as  in  this  law  he  hath  most  ex- 
cellently done.  And  that  ye  may  the  better  understand  it, 
I  will  at  this  present,  by  the  help  of  God's  Holy  Spirit, 
discourse  upon  the  proper  owning  and  upright  getting  of 
worldly  riches :  in  which  treatise  the  whole  consideration  of 
theft  in  all  his  kinds  shall  be  plainly  declared, 
ownin  ''of^^'  ^^^  ^^^  proper  owning  and  possessing  of  goods  is  not  by 
this  precept  prohibited;  but  we  are  forbidden  to  get  them 
unjustly,  to  possess  them  unlawfully,  and  to  spend  them 
wickedly  :  yea,  by  this  commandment  the  proper  owning  of 
peculiar  substance  is  lawfully  ordained  and  firmly  established. 
The  Lord  forbiddeth  theft ;  therefore  he  ordaineth  and  con- 
firmeth  the  proper  owning  of  worldly  riches.  For  what  canst 
thou  steal,  if  all  things  be  common  to  all  men  ?  For  thou  hast 
stolen  thine  own,  and  not  another  man's,  if  thou  takest  from 
another  that  which  he  hath.  But  God  forbiddeth  theft ;  and 
therefore,  by  the  making  of  this  law,  he  confirmeth  the  proper 
possession  of  peculiar  goods.  But  because  there  is  no  small 
number  of  that  furious  sect  of  Anabaptists,  which  deny  this 
propriety  of  several^  possessions^,  I  will  by  some  evident 
testimonies  of  scripture  declare  that  it  is  both  allowed  and 
ratified  of  old.  Of  Abraham,  who  in  the  scripture  is  called 
the  father  of  faith,  Eliazer,  his  servant,  saith :  "  God  hath 
blessed  my  master  marvellously,  that  he  is  become  great ; 
and  hath  given  him  sheep  and  oxen,  silver  and  gold,  men- 
servants  and  maidservants,  camels  and  asses^ ;  and  to  his 
son  hath  he  given  all  that  he  hath."  Lo  then,  Abraham  was 
wealthy,  and  did  possess  by  the  right  of  propriety  all  those 
things  which  God  had  given  him  ;  and  he  left  them  all,  by 
the  title  of  inheritance,  as  peculiar  and  proper  goods  unto  his 
son  Isaac.  Isaac  therefore  and  Jacob  possessed  their  own 
and  proper  goods.  Moreover  God,  by  the  hand  of  Moses, 
brought  the  Israehtes,  his  people,  into  the  land  of  promise, 
the  grounds  whereof  he  did  by  lot  divide  unto  the  tribes  of 

[^  several:    separate,  particular.] 

[^  See  Articles  of  Religion,  Art.  xxxviii.  and  Bullinger  adversus 
Anabaptistas.  Lib.  i.  cap.  9,  p.  22,  and  Lib.  iv.  cap.  9,  p.  143,  Tigur. 
1560.] 

[3  camels  and  asses,  not  in  original  Lat.  of  Bullinger.] 


[Gen.  xxh 
33,  36.] 


-CVlt.  XXV. 

mb. 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH    PRECEPT   OF  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       19 

Josue*   his    servant,   appointing   to    every   one  a  particular 
portion  to  possess ;   and  did  by  laws  provide  that  those  in-  ri.e 
heritances  should  not  be  mingled  and  confounded  together,  xxv'ii."] 
In  Salomon  and  the  prophets  there  are  very  many  precepts 
and  sentences  tending  to  this  purpose. 

But  I  know  very  well  that  these  troublesome  wranglers 
do  make  this  objection,  and  say  :  That  christian  men  are  not 
bound  to  these  proofs,  that  are  fetched  out  of  the  old  Testa- 
ment^  And  although  I  could  confute  that  objection,  and 
prove  that  those  places  out  of  the  old  Testament  do  in  this 
case  bind  us  to  mark  and  follow  them ;  yet  will  I  rather,  for 
shortness'  sake,  allege  some  proofs  out  of  the  scriptures 
of  the  new  Testament,  to  stop  their  mouths  withal.  Our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  doth  greatly  commend  in  his  disciples  the 
works  of  mercy,  which  do  consist  in  feeding  the  hungry,  in 
giving  drink  to  the  thirsty,  in  clothing  the  naked,  in  visiting 
prisoners  and  those  that  be  sick,  and  in  harbouring  strangers 
and  banished  men.  He  therefore  granteth  to  his  disciples  a 
propriety  and  possession  of  peculiar  goods,  wherewith  they  may 
frankly  do  good  unto  other,  and  help  the  needy  and  the  man  in 
misery.  But,  the  proper  owning  of  several  goods  being  once 
taken  away,  good  deeds  and  alms  must  of  necessity  be  utterly 
lacking  :  for  if  all  things  be  common,  then  dost  thou  give 
nothing  of  that  which  is  thine,  but  all  that  thou  spendest 
is  of  the  common  riches.  Yet  Paul  the  apostle,  in  his  epistle  [i  cor.  xvi. 
to  the  Corinthians,  biddeth  every  one  to  lay  up  alms  by  him- 
self, which  he  might  receive  when  he  came  to  Corinth.  He 
hath  also  commanded  every  one  to  bestow  so  much  as  he  can  [acor.  viii 
find  in  his  heart  wilUngly  to  give,  and  according  to  the  g,T.]  ' 
quantity  that  every  one  possesseth,  not  according  to  that 
which  he  possesseth  not ;  and  yet  not  to  bestow  it  so,  that 
they  to  whom  it  is  given  should  have  more  than  enough,  and 
they  which  give  should  be  pinched  with  penury  and  lack  of 
things  necessary.  The  same  apostle  saith  :  "  We  beseech 
you,  brethren,  that  you  study  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  your 

[*  per  Josue,  Lat ;  by  Joshua.] 

[5  . . .  inter  abominandos  Anabaptistas  eos  statuimus,  qui  vetus  testa- 
mentum  rejiciunt,  qui  testimonia  qua)  ex  illo  adducuntur  ad  declaranda 
et  confinnanda  dogmata  Cliristiantc  fidei,  aut  ad  errores  ct  falsa  dog- 
mata refutanda,  non  recipiunt,  &c. — Bullingcr  adv.  Anabap.  Lib.  ir. 
cap.  15,  p.  74.] 


20  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

own  business,  and  to  work  with  your  own  hands,  as  we  com- 
manded you  :  that  you  may  walk  honestly  to  them  that  be  with- 

n  Thess.  iv.  out,  and  that  ye  may  have  lack  of  nothing."  I  could,  out  of 
other  his  ^  epistles,  allege  many  more  proofs  of  this  same  sort : 
but  these  are  enough  to  declare  sufficiently,  that  propriety  of 
goods  is  in  both  the  Testaments  permitted  to  christian  men. 

How  in  the  In  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  we  read^,  that  amono;  them  of 

apostles' age  ...  ,  i-         i  i        n      i  • 

all  things      the  primitive  and  apostolic  church  all  things  were  common  : 

were  com-  ^  ^  ^  o  ' 

">°°-  but  that  which  folio weth  in  the  same  book  doth  declare  what 

kind  of  communion  that  was  which  they  had :  for  Luke 
[Acts  iv.  32.]  saith,  "  None  of  them  said  that  any  thing  was  his  of  that  which 
he  possessed."  Lo  here,  the  first  Christians  possessed  houses, 
grounds,  and  other  riches,  by  the  right  of  propriety ;  and  yet 
they  possessed  them  not  as  their  own  goods,  but  as  the  goods 
of  other  men,  and  as  it  were  in  common,  so  notwithstanding 
that  the  right  of  propriety  did  still  remain  in  possessors'  own 
hands  :  and  if  so  be  at  any  time  necessity  so  required,  they 
sold  their  lands  and  houses,  and  helped  the  need  of  them  that 
lacked.  If  they  sold,  then  that  which  they  sold  was  undoubt- 
edly their  own :  for  no  good  man  doth  sell  another  man's 
substance,  but  that  which  is  his  own,  or  that  which  he  hath 
taken  in  hand  to  husband  as  his  own.  Moreover,  St  Peter, 
[Acts  V.  3, 4.]  compounding  all  this  controversy,  saith  to  Ananias,  "  Whiles 
the  land  remained,  was  it  not  thine  own  ?  and  when  it  was 
sold,  was  it  not  in  thy  power  ?  How  is  it  then,  that  thou 
liest  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  keepest  back  part  of  the  price 
of  the  land,  and  makest,  notwithstanding,  as  though  thou  hadst 
brought  the  whole  price  unto  us?"  It  was  in  Ananias  his 
power  not  to  have  sold  the  land ;  and,  when  it  was  sold,  to 
have  kept  to  himself  the  whole  sum  of  money :  and  yet  for 
that  deed  he  should  not  have  been  excluded  from  the  church 
of  the  faithful.  It  was  free  therefore  at  that  time,  even  as 
at  this  day  also  it  is,  either  to  sell,  or  not  to  sell,  their  ^  lands 
and  possessions,  and  to  bestow  it  commonly  for  the  relieving 
of  the  poor.  Therefore  that  place  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
doth  not  take  away  the  right  of  propriety,  nor  command  such 
a  communion  of  every  man's  goods  as  our  mad-hcadcd  Ana- 
baptists go  about  to  ordain. 

[1  his,  not  in  original  Lat.] 

[^  sane,  Lat.  omitted :   indeed.] 

[3  their,  not  in  original  Lat.] 


1.]       THE   EIGHTH  PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.        21 

And  for  because  I  perceive  that  some  do  very  stiffly  stick 
to  the  letter,  and  urge  that  communion  of  substance,  it  shall 
not  be  tedious  to  recite  unto  you,  dearly  beloved,  other  men's 
judgments  touching  this  point ;  I  moan,  the  opinions  of  them 
■which  by  conference  of  scriptures  have  made  this  matter  most 
plain  and  manifest\ 

Whereas  we  read  in  the  second  chapter  of  the  Acts,  that 
all  which  behoved  were  joined  in  one^  it  must  not  so  be 
imderstood  as  though  they,  like  monks,  forsaking  every  one 
his  proper  house,  did  dwell  together  in  common,  all  in  one 
house ;  but  that  they,  as  it  is  immediately  after  added,  con- 
tinued daily  in  the  temple  with  one  accord  :  not  that  they  left 
off  every  man  to  eat  in  his  own  house  and  to  provide  things 
necessarily  required  of  nature,  or  that  every  one  sold  the 
house  that  he  had;  since  there  is  afterward  added,  "breaking 
bread  from  house  to  house."  If  they  brake  bread  from  house 
to  house,  let  these  Anabaptists  answer,  in  what  houses  the 
Christians  at  Jerusalem  did  break  their  bread.  In  the  houses 
of  unbelievers  ?  I  think,  nay.  Therefore  they  brake  bread 
and  ate  meat  in  the  houses  of  the  faithful.  How  therefore 
did  they  all  sell  or  forsake  their  lands  and  houses  ?  How  did 
they  Hve  together  like  cloisterers?  Whereas  Luke  saith 
therefore,  that  "  so  many  as  believed  were  joined  in  one,"  that 
is  to  be  understood,  that  they  did  oftentimes  assemble  in  the 
temple :  so  then  that  communicating  of  goods  among  the 
Christians  was  nothing  else  but  a  sale,  which  the  wealthier 
sort  made  of  their  lands  and  houses,  to  the  end  that  by  be- 
stowing that  money  the  poor  might  be  relieved,  lest  they, 
being  compelled  by  penury  and  famine,  should  turn  from 
Christianity  to  Judaism  again.  Moreover,  we  read  in  many 
places  of  the  Acts,  that  Christians  kept  to  themselves  the  use 
of  their  houses  and  ordering  of  their  substance ;  as  in  the 
ninth  of  the  Acts  we  find  of  Tabitha,  who  was  full  of  good 
works,  making  coats  and  clothing  for  widows  and  poor  people. 
In  the  twelfth  of  the  Acts  we  read  that  Peter  the  apostle, 
being  brought  out  of  prison,  "  came  to  the  house  of  Mary,  the 

[*  Most  of  the  ensuing  arguments  from  scripture  occur  in  Melanc- 
thon's  Epist.  adv.  Anabap.  Coi-p.  Ref.  Tom.  i.  col.  970—3,  and  Calvin's 
Instruct,  adv.  Libertinos,  cap.  21,  p.  393,  Tom.  vni.  Amstel.  1667.  See 
also  Bullinger,  adv.  Anabapt.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  9.] 

[5  Acts  ii.  44,  erant  conjuncti,  Erasmus'  rendering.] 


22  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

mother  of  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark,  where  many  were 
gathered  together  to  pray :"  he  saith  not,  to  dwell,  but  to 
pray  ;  whereby  thou  may  est  understand  that  the  congregation 
was  assembled  in  that  house  to  pray.  Again,  in  the  ninth 
chapter,  Peter  stayeth  many  days  in  the  house  of  Simon  the 
tanner,  which  was  a  christian  man,  and  dwelt  in  his  own 
house.  And  in  the  eleventh  chapter,  "  the  disciples,  accord- 
ing to  every  one's  ability,  sent  help  to  the  brethren  which 
dwelt  in  Jury."  Lo  here,  "  as  every  one,"  saith  he,  "  was  of 
ability."  But  what  ability  could  any  of  them  have  had,  unless 
they  had  somewhat  of  their  own  in  possession?  In  the  six- 
teenth chapter,  Lydia,  the  woman  that  sold  purple,  when  she 
was  baptized,  did  say,  "  If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be  faithful  to 
the  Lord,  come  into  my  house,  and  abide  there."  Why  said 
she  not,  sell  my  house ;  but,  "  come  into  my  house  :"  but  for 
because  she  did  so  possess  her  house  after  she  believed,  as 
that  she  made  it  common  to  the  apostles  ?  In  the  twentieth 
chapter,  Paul  doth  glory  that  he  hath  not  desired  any  man's 
gold,  silver,  or  precious  clothes.  But  what  sense  or  reason 
could  be  in  these  words,  unless  it  were  lawful  for  christian 
men  to  keep  the  possession  of  that  which  is  theirs  ?  And 
in  the  twenty-first  chapter,  Philip  had  at  Caesarea  a  house 
and  four  daughters  :  why  sold  he  not  his  house  ?  Philemon 
^phiiem.  16,  also,  Paul's  host,  had  both  a  house  and  a  servant  too. 
It  is  therefore  most  plain  and  evident,  that  the  Holy 
Ghost's  meaning  is  not  to  have  such  an  order  of  life  ob- 
served, as  these  people  do  devise ;  but  that  every  man  should 
govern  well  his  own  house  and  family,  and  relieve  the  bre- 
thren's necessity,  according  as  his  ability  will  suffer  and  bear. 
To  this  end  also  do  other  places  belong ;  1  Timothy  v., 
Titus  ii.,  1  Thess.  iv.,  2  Thess.  iii.  And  when  in  all  his  Epistles 
almost  he  prescribeth  to  parents  and  children,  to  husbands  and 
wives,  to  masters  and  servants,  their  office  and  duties ;  what 
doth  he  else,  but  teach  how  to  order  our  houses  and  families? 
Thus  luuch  thus  far. 

What  may  be  said  of  that,  moreover,  that  many  wealthy 
men  in  the  gospel  are  reported  to  have  been  worshippers 
of  God  ?  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  which  buried  the  Lord  after 
he  was  crucified,  is  said  to  have  been  a  wealthy  man,  and 
a  disciple  of  Christ  also.  The  women  were  wealthy,  which 
followed  the  Lord  from  Galilee,   and  ministered  to  him  and 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       23 

his  disciples    of  their  goods   and    substance.     The   eunuch^ 
treasurer  of  Queen  Candace  was  a  wealthy  man.      Tabitha  of 
Joppa,  whom  Peter  raised  from  death  to  life,  was  rich,  and 
spent  her  substance   freely  upon    poor    and    needy   people. 
Lydia,  the  seller  of  purple,  was  wealthy  too ;  and  innumer- 
able more,  who  were  both  godly  and  faithful  people.  Whereas 
the  Lord   therefore  did   say    to  the  young  man,   "  If  thou  rMatt.  xix. 
wilt  be  perfect,  go,  and  sell  that  which  thou  hast,  and  give 
to  the  poor,   and  thou  shalt  have   treasure  in  heaven ;  and 
come  and   follow   me ;"  that  is   no    general  law,  or  simple 
doctrine  belonging  to  all  men ;  but  is  a  demonstration  only, 
to  shew  that  the  young  man  to  whom  he  spake  had  not  yet 
so  perfectly  fulfilled  the  law,  as  he  thought  verily  that  he  had 
done :  for  he  thought  he  had  done  all,  and  that  nothing  was 
wanting.      For  the  young  man  set  more  by  his  goods  than 
he  did  by  God  and  the  voice  of  God's  commandment:    for 
he  departed  sadly,  and  did  not  as  the  Lord  had  bidden  him ; 
and  thereby  declared  that  he  had  not  yet  fulfilled  the  law. 
Moreover,  we  may  out  of  other  places  gather  that  the  Lord 
did  not  cast  down  his  disciples  to  misery  and  beggary.     Nei- 
ther was  Paul  the   apostle  ashamed  to  make  laws  for  rich 
men,   and   to  prescribe  an  order  how  they  ought  to  behave 
themselves.      "To  them   that  be  rich,"    saith  he,   "  in  this  n  Tim.  vi, 
world,  give  charge  that  they  be  not  high-minded,  nor  trust 
in  uncertain  riches,  but  in  the  living   God,  which  giveth  us 
abundantly  all   things  to  enjoy ;    that  they   do    good,  that 
they  be  rich  in  good  works,  that  they  be  ready  to  give,  glad 
to  distribute,  laying  up  in  store  for  themselves  a  good  foun- 
dation against  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay  hold  upon 
eternal  life."     Hereunto  belong  the  admonitions  of  our  Sa- ^.j^j^^^  ^,.  ^^ 
viour,  who  saith :  "  Ye   cannot  serve  God   and  mammon  at  ^j^ 'jj'i.^li.f 
once."     Again,  "Riches  are  thorns  that  choke  the  seed  of 
the  word  of  God."     And  again,  "  Verily,   I   say  unto  you, 
a  rich  man  shall  hardly  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through   the  eye  of  a  needle, 
than  for  a  rich  man   to   enter   into  the   kingdom  of  God." 
And  as  the  minds  of  wealthy  men  are  not  utterly  to  be  dis- 
couraged and  driven  to  desperation,  as  though  it  were  impos- 
sible for  them  to  be  saved ;  so  are  they   to  be  admonished 
of  the  imminent  perils,  lest  peradventure  they  sleep  securely 
[1  Substituted  for  another  word  used  by  the  translator.]    • 


24  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

over   their  riches,  being   seduced  by   Satan  to   abuse  their 

wealth,  when  as  indeed  they  ought  rather  to  use  it  after  the 

rule   of  the  Apostle,    which   I    did    even  now   recite.      The 

s^nSus'      Gangresian  synod ^  a  very  ancient  council,  verily  condemned 

False  doc     them  which  taught,   "that  faithful  rich  men  could  have  no 

cerning        liopc  to  bo  savcd  by  the  Lord,  unless  they  did  renounce  and 


riches  and 
rich  men 
condemned. 


rich  men      forsake  all  the  good  that  they  did  possess^."      St  Augustine 


enrolleth  and  reckoneth  the  Apostolics  in  his  catalogue,  or 
bead-row,  of  heretics :  "  They,  taking  arrogantly  this  name 
to  themselves,  did  not  admit  into  their  company  any  of  them 
which  used  the  fellowship  of  their  own  wives,  or  had  in  pos- 
session any  proper  substance."  After  that  he  addeth  :  "They 
therefore  are  heretics,  because,  separating  themselves  from  the 
church,  they  think  that  they  have  no  hope  to  be  saved  which 
use  and  enjoy  the  things  that  they  themselves  lack.  They 
are  like  unto  the  Encratites,  and  are  called  also  by  the  name 
of  Apotactites^."  Touching  riches,  they  of  themselves  verily 
are  not  evil,  but  the  good  gifts  of  God ;  it  is  the  abuse  that 
makes  them  evil.  But  for  the  use  of  them,  I  will  speak  here- 
after. 
Of  the  lawful        Here  followeth  now  the  treatise  of  the  getting  of  wealth 

gettnig  of  .  .  O  O 

riches.  and  riches,  which  be  necessary   for  the  maintenance  of  our 

lives  and  families.  Touching  the  getting  whereof  there  is  a 
large  discourse  among  our  lawyers :  for  they  say,  that  goods 
are  gotten  by  the  law  of  nations,  and  by  the  pecuhar  law  of 
every  particular  country  :  by  the  law  of  nations;  as  by  pre- 
vention in  possession,  by  captivity,  by  finding,  by  birth,  by 
casting  up  of  water,  by  changing  the  kind,  by  increase  in 
bondage,  by  mixture,  by  building,  planting,  sowing,  tilling  in 

[1  The  Synod  of  Gangva  in  Paphlagonia  was  held  after  that  of  Nice, 
but  before  that  of  Antioch,  i.e.  between  a.d.  325  and  341  ;  but  the 
exact  year  is  not  known.] 

[2  Tcop  ;(p77/iara  e^ovTcov,  Koi  firj  dvaxoopovvTcav  avru>v,  KarfylvaxTKov 

{ol  TTfpi  rbv  TLvcTTadiov)  — Kara  tovtcov  ovv  Upo\  ddpoKrdevTfs  irarepes  Ka- 
vovas  e^edevTo.    Zonaras  in  Can.  Apost.  &c.  Lutet.  Paris.  1618.  p.  310.] 

[3  Apostolici,  qui  se  isto  nomine  arrogantissime  vocaverunt,  eo 
quod  in  suam  communionem  non  reciperent  utentes  conjugibus  et  res 
proprias  possidontes  .  . .  Ideo  isti  hecretici  sunt,  quoniam  se  ab  ecclesia 
separantes  nullam  spem  putant  eos  habere,  qui  utuntur  his  rebus 
quibus  ipsi  carent.     Enoratitis   isti  similes  sunt;  nam  et  Apotactitaj 

appellantur — August.  0pp.  Par.  1531,  Tom.  vi.  p.  4,  col.  3 'EyKpa- 

Ttrat,  continents;  d7rora«riKot,  separatists.    See  Vol.  i.  p.  432,  n.  3.] 


I.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.         25 

a  ground  free  from  possession,  and  by  delivery  :  by  the 
peculiar  law  of  every  particular  country ;  as  by  continuance 
of  possession,  by  prescription,  by  giving,  by  will,  by  legacy, 
by  fiefment,  by  succession,  by  challenge,  by  purchase*.  Of 
all  which  particularly  to  speak,  it  would  be  a  labour  too 
tedious,  and  for  you  to  hear,  dearly  beloved,  little  profitable. 

That  therefore  which  we  are  to  say  we  will  frame  to 
the  manners  and  customs  of  our  age  ;  and  we  will  utter  that 
which  shall  tend  to  our  avail.  Principally,  and  before  all 
things,  we  must  close  and  shut  up  an  evil  eye,  lest  we  be 
carried  away  with  too  much  concupiscence  and  desire.  "  The  [m 
light  of  the  body,"  saith  our  Saviour  Christ  in  the  Gospel, 
"  is  the  eye :  if  therefore  thine  eye  be  single,  thine  whole 
body  shall  be  hghtened :  but  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  body 
shall  be  all  dark."  The  mind  of  man,  being  endued  with 
faith  and  not  infected  with  concupiscences  and  naughty  lusts, 
doth  give  light  to  all  things  that  he  shall  take  in  hand,  go 
about,  and  do ;  but  if  his  mind  be  corrupt  and  unclean,  then 
shall  his  deeds  savour  also  of  corruption  and  uncleanness. 
Wherefore  faith  and  upright  conscience  must  subdue  and 
beat  down  too  much  concupiscence  and  covetousness,  which 
take  their  original  and  roots  from  distrust,  making  unholy 
and  unclean  all  the  counsels  of  man,  all  his  thoughts,  all  his 
words  and  deeds.  And  that  we  may  be  able  and  of  force 
sufficient  to  captivate  and  bring  them  into  subjection,  neces- 
sary it  is,  that  the  grace  of  Christ  assist  us;  which  every 
godly-minded  man  and  woman  doth  ask  of  God  with  godly 
and  faithful  prayers. 

Behovcful  it  is  that  we  always  set  before  our  eyes,  and 
have  deeply  graven  in  our  hearts,  the  doctrine  of  our  Sa- 
viour Christ  touching  these,  and  the  instruction  also  of  his 
holy  apostles ;  which  is  not  so  much  but  it  may  be  well 
borne  away.  We  will,  therefore,  rehearse  unto  you,  dearly 
beloved,  three  several  places,  two  of  them  out  of  the  Gospel, 

[4  Jure  gentium,  ct  jure  civili.  .  ..  Occupatione,  captivitate,  inven- 
tione,  nativitate,  alluvione,  specificatione,  accessione,  confusione,  sedifi- 
catione,  plantatione,  satione,  cultura,  traditione.  .  .  Usucapionc,  prse- 
scriptione,  donatione,  testamento,  legato,  fidei  commisso,  successione, 
arrogatione,  adjectione. — Corp.  Jur.  Civil.  Digest.  Lib.  xlt.  Tit.  i.  col. 
1447,  &c.  Tom.  i.  Par.  1628. — All  these  terms  of  the  civil  law  are  very 
fairly  explained  in  the  translation.] 


26  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sEKM. 

and  the  third  out  of  Saint  Paul :  in  which  places,  as  it  were 
in  a  perfect  abridgement,  you  may  have  comprised  what 
things  soever  can  be  required  of  such  as  worship  God  in 
truth.  In  the  Gospel  according  to  St  Matthew  thus  saith 
our  Lord  and  Saviour :  "  Hoard  not  up  for  yourselves  trea- 
sures in  earth,  where  the  rust  and  moth  doth  corrupt,  and 
where  thieves  break  through  and  steal :  but  lay  up  treasure 
for  you  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt, 
and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  and  steal.  For 
where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  hearts  also  be.  No 
man  can  serve  two  masters :  for  either  he  shall  hate  the 
one,  and  love  the  other ;  or  else  he  shall  lean  to  the  one,  and 
despise  the  other  :  ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon.  There- 
fore I  say  unto  you,  be  not  careful  for  your  life,  what  ye 
shall  eat  or  drink ;  nor  yet  for  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put 
on :  is  not  the  life  more  worthy  than  meat,  and  the  body 
more  worth  than  raiment?  Behold  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
for  they  sow  not,  neither  do  they  reap,  nor  carry  into  barns ; 
yet  your  heavenly  Father  feedeth  them :  are  not  ye  much 
better  than  they  ?  Which  of  you,  by  taking  careful  thought, 
can  add  one  cubit  to  his  stature?  And  why  care  ye  for 
raiment  ?  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow : 
they  labour  not,  neither  do  they  spin ;  and  yet  I  say  unto 
you,  that  even  Salomon  in  all  his  royalty  was  not  arrayed 
like  one  of  these.  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of 
the  field,  which,  though  it  stand  to  day,  is  to-morrow  cast 
into  the  furnace ;  shall  he  not  much  more  do  the  same  for 
you,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?  Therefore  take  no  thought,  say- 
ing, What  shall  we  eat,  or.  What  shall  we  drink,  or.  Where- 
with shall  we  be  clothed  ?  For  after  all  these  tilings  do  the 
Gentiles  seek :  for  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye 
have  need  of  all  these  things.  But  seek  yo  first  the  kingdom 
of  God^  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.  Care 
not  then  for  to-morrow ;  for  the  morrow  shall  care  for  itself. 
Suflftcicnt  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof."  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  in  the  sixth  of  Matthew's  Gospel. 

Again,  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  St  Luke's  gospel  he^ 
saith  :  "  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetousness  :  for  no  man's 

[1  ct  justitiam  ejus,  Lat. ;  omitted  by  the  translator:  and  his  right- 
eousness.] 

[2  idem  Dominus  nostcr,  Lat. ;  the  same  our  Lojd.] 


I.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.        27 

life  standetli  in  the  abundance  of  things  which  he  possesseth  :" 
that  is,  the  hfc  hath  no  need  of  superfluity,  or,  no  man's  Hfe 
hath  need  of  more  than  enough.  "  And  he  put  forth  a  simiUtude, 
saying,  The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought  forth  fruits 
plentifully  ;  and  he  thought  vrithin  himself,  saying,  What  shall 
I  do,  because  I  have  no  room  where  to  bestow  my  fruits  ?  And 
he  said.  This  will  I  do  ;  I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build 
greater,  and  therein  will  I  gather  all  my  fruits  and  my  goods; 
and  I  will  say  to  my  soul,  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up 
in  store  for  many  years ;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be 
merry.  But  God  said  unto  him.  Thou  fool,  this  night  do  they 
require  thy  soul  again  from  thee'':  then  whose  shall  these  things 
be  which  thou  hast  provided  ?  So  is  he  that  gathereth  riches  to 
himself,  and  is  not  rich  to  God-wards."  Paul,  the  vessel  of 
election,  following  in  all  things  his  teacher  and  master,  crieth 
out,  and  saith  :  "Godliness  is  a  great  lucre,  if  a  man  be  content  [i_Tim  v.. 
with  that  he  hath:  for  we  brought  nothing  into  the  world, 
and  it  is  certain  that  we  may  carry  nought  away  ;  but,  having 
food  and  raiment,  we  must  therewith  be  content.  For  they 
that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temptations  and  snares,  and  into 
many  foolish  and  noisome  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  perdition 
and  destruction.  For  covetousness,  and  the  love  of  money, 
is  the  root  of  all  evil ;  which  while  some  have  lusted  after, 
they  erred  from  the  faith,  and  wrapped  themselves  in  many 
sorrows.  But  thou,  0  man  of  God,  flee  these  things ;  and 
follow  after  righteousness,  godliness,  faith,  love,  patience, 
meekness,  &c." 

Whosoever,  therefore,  meaneth  by  bodily  labour  or  any 
kind  of  traffic  to  get  a  living  and  things  necessary  for  himself 
and  his  family,  let  him  take  these  godly  precepts  instead  of 
treacle*  and  other  wholesome  medicines,  to  strengthen  his 
mind  against  the  envenomed  force  of  poisoned  greediness,  and 
the  infecting  plague  of  covetousness.    And  when  he  hath  with  Labour  is 

,.  T-  •,  •  11,.      11  •  p  commended 

this  medicine  against  poison,  compounded  oi  the  doctrine  oi  and  idleness 

^.  ■,  condemned. 

the  evangelists  and  apostles,   fortified  his  mind  against  the 

[3  animam  tuam  repetunt  abs  te,  Lat.  So  the  Vulgate  and  Erasmus. 
The  original  is,  ttjv  \I/-vxi]v  <tov  cmaiToiviv  otto  <tov.  See  the  marginal 
reading  of  our  authorised  version.] 

[*  tlieriuca,  Lat. ;  a  compound  medicine  against  the  bites  of  poi- 
sonous animals;  treacle.     Facciolati  Tot.  Lat.  Lex.  in  voc] 


28 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


[2  Thess.  iii. 
6,  10—12.] 


Needless  oi 
ciipations. 


plague,  then  let  him  immediately  bend  himself  to  some  labour 
and  kind  of  occupation.  But  let  every  one  pick  out  and 
choose  an  honest  and  profitable  occupation,  not  a  needless 
art,  or  a  science  hurtful  to  any  other  man.  And  finally,  let 
all  men  fly  idleness,  as  a  plague  or  contagious  disease.  And 
now  again  let  us  in  this  case  hear  the  heavenly  words  of  that 
holy  apostle  Paul,  who  saith:  "We charge  you,  brethren,  in  the 
name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  withdraw  yourselves 
from  every  brother  that  liveth  inordinately,  and  not  after  the 
institution  1  which  he  received  of  us.  For  when  we  were  with 
you,  this  we  warned  you  of,  that  if  any  would  not  work,  the 
same  should  not  eat.  For  we  hear  say,  that  there  are  some 
which  walk  among  you  inordinately,  working  not  at  all,  but 
be  busy-bodies.  Them  that  are  such  we  command  and 
exhort,  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  they,  working  in 
quietness,  eat  their  own  bread." 

In  all  ages,  and  among  all  honest  men,  both  idleness  and 
needless  occupations  have  been  always  condemned.  Hesiodus 
said: 

Botli  gods  and  men  abhor 

The  lazy  hand-inbosom'd  lout  2, 

That  works  not  in  a  common  weal. 
But  lurks,  and  lives  without 

Pains-taking;  like  the  idle  drone, 
That  lives  upon  the  spoil 

Of  that,  for  which  the  busy  bees 
Do  tire  themselves  with  toil. 

And  Sophocles  said : 

Where  idleness  doth  sit  a-brood, 
There's  never  good  egg  hatch'd^. 

For  God  doth  not  assist  slothful  persons  and  idle  slow- 
backs.  Now  I  call  those  needless  occupations,  which  idle 
and  ill-disposed  people  do  use,  thereby  to  be  troublesome 
to  their  neighbours,  and  to  deceive  other  men ;   exercising, 

[1  institutionem,  Lat. ;  Erasmus'  rendering.  See  Fulke's  Defence 
of  Translations  of  the  Bible,  Parker  Soc.  ed.  pp.  151,  166.] 

[2  to  bosom,  to  conceal  in  privacy.  Johnson's  Diet. ;  lout,  to  bow, 
bend,  or  do  obeisance;  and  hence  a  clown  or  rustic  was  so  called. 
Toone's  Glossary.  Lond.  1834.] 

[3  Hcsiodi  "Epy.  koI  'Ufi.  301.  Sophocl.  Iphig.  apud  Stoba^i  Floril. 
Tit.  XXX.  cd.  Gaisford,  Vol.  ii.  p.  30.] 


I.J       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       29 

I  confess,  an  occupation,  but  such  an  one  as  is  utterly  unlaw- 
ful and  unprofitable  to  all  men,  themselves  only  excepted,  to 
whom  it  brings  in  excessive  gains :  of  which  sort  are  usurers, 
engrossers,  hucksters*,  and  other  moo,  that  have  many  arts 
to  frank  themselves  with  an  idle  shew  of  business,  like  a 
swine  shut  up  to  be  fatted  in  a  sty  ^.  As  for  them  whose  wealth  by 
wealth  is  come  to  them,  not  by  their  own  labour,  or  their  own  '"''""^"**- 
industry^,  but  by  inheritance  of  their  ancestors'  leaving,  let 
them  consider  with  themselves  by  what  means  the  riches 
were  gotten,  which  now  by  inheritance  are  fallen  to  their 
lot :  and,  if  they  perceive  that  they  be  heirs  of  unjust-gotten 
goods,  let  them  be  hberal,  and  make  amends  for  them'^,  not 
doubhng  the  evil  in  possessing  unjustly,  and  more  wickedly 
digesting  the  thing  that  before  was  naughtily  come  by.  Let 
them  put  no  trust  or  confidence  in  their  ill-gotten  riches, 
neither  let  them  give  themselves  to  idleness,  but  still  be  busy 
in  some  honest  thing.  But  yet  most  commonly  it  cometh  to 
pass,  that  ill-gotten  goods  are  spent  very  lewdly^.  The  best 
■way  therefore  is,  either  to  be  heir  to  a  good,  just,  and 
liberal  man ;  or  else  to  seek  means,  by  their  own  toil  and 
travail^,  to  have  of  thine  own  wherewithal  to  sustain  both 
tlime  own  life  and  the  lives  of  thy  family. 

But  many  men  make  a  doubt  here,  and  call  it  into  ques-  whether 
tion:  first,  whether  bargaining,  and  buying  and  selling,  be  ='^f|"J)||j>s^^ 
lawful  or  no;  and  then,  what  one  occupation  it  is,  among  all  lawfuiomo. 
other,  that  doth   best   beseem  a  godly  man.     Them  which 
stick  upon  these  doubts  I  wish  to  consider  these  reasons  that 
follow.     First,  it  is  manifest,  that  contracts  are  for  the  most 
part  voluntary,  and  that  bargains  are  made  with  the  mutual 
consent  of  the  buyer  and  seller ;  so  that  each  one  may  take 
deliberation,  and  make  choice  of  that  which  he  would  have, 
to  see  whether  it  be  best  for  his  purpose  or  no.      Of  this  sort 
are  the  exchange  of  things,  suretyship,  letting,  hiring,  mort- 
gaging, borrowing,  lending,  covenanting,  buying,  selling,  and 

[•*  monopolse  et  propolse,  Lat.] 
[5  negotioso  otio  se  saginantcs,  Lat.] 
[6  negotiatione  asqua,  Lat. ;  by  fair  trading.] 
[■^  and  make  amends  for  them ;  not  in  the  original  Latin.] 
[8  male  partum  male  dilabatur,  Lat.     See  Erasnii  Adag.  Chiliad. 
p.  727,  Ilanov.  1617.] 

[9  negotiatione  justa,  Lat.] 


30  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

other  moe  like  unto  these.  These  things,  as  experience  doth 
prove,  even  the  hohest  men  cannot  be  without,  so  long  as 
they  live  in  this  frail  world.  Neither  doth  the  Lord  of  the 
law  in  any  place  forbid  these  kind  of  contracts,  but  planteth 
them  rather  in  his  commonweal  of  Israel,  that  the  people 
might  know  and  acknowledge  them  to  be  the  ordinances  of 
God :  the  abuse,  deceit,  guile,  and  confidence  in  them  is  flatly- 
forbidden  by  the  word  of  the  Lord.  U,  therefore,  any  man 
do  use  them  moderately,  not  staying  himself  upon  them,  nor 
reposing  his  trust  in  them,  in  so  using  them  he  sinneth  not. 
And  here  again  let  us  hear  the  words  of  the  apostle,  who  saith : 
2y-3i']"'  '  "^^^  ^^^^"^  which  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none  ; 
and  them  which  weep,  as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  them 
which  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not ;  and  them  which 
buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not ;  and  them  which  use  this 
world,  as  though  they  used  it  not^:  for  the  fashion  of  this 
world  doth  pass  away."  In  like  manner,  we  do  in  no 
place  read  that  just  and  lawful  gains  have  been  at  any  time 
forbidden;  yea,  the  Lord  doth  bless  the  labour  and  tra- 
vail of  his  servants,  which  love  him,  that  even  as  in  virtue, 
so  also  they  may  increase  in  riches  and  substance.  This  do 
the  examples  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  evidently  tes- 
t' T™-^'»-y3.  tify.  And  the  very  apostles  bid  us  not^  to  look  after  no 
'1]         '  gain,  but  charge  us  only  to  keep  ourselves  from  gaping  after 

filthy  gain. 
of  ocSiu'."'''         There  are  among  men  many  and  divers  occupations  ;  and 
tions.  the  state  and  conditions,  wherein  men  are,  do  stand  in  need  of 

many  and  sundry  things.  There  is  an  occupation  or  grosser 
kind  of  labour,  which  is  put  in  practice  by  force  of  hand  and 
strength  of  body  rather  than  by  art,  although  it  wanteth  not 
altogether  wit  and  discretion.  There  is  also  a  more  fine  and 
subtile  labour  of  the  wit,  which,  although  it  be  not  done  without 
the  body  and  strength  of  man,  is  yet,  notwithstanding,  accom- 
phshed  by  the  wit  rather  than  by  the  bodily  force  of  him 
which  laboureth.  Of  the  first  sort  are  all  those  occupations 
or  sciences  which  are  commonly  called  handicrafts ;  and  in 
that  number  we  reckon  also  merchandising,  husbandry,  and 

[1  So  Tyndale,  1534,  and  Cranmer,  1539;   and  the  Vulgato  and 
Erasmus  agree  with  Bullinger's  text,  taiiquam  non  utantur.] 

[2  non  jubent  nos  nullum  sperare  lucrum,  Lat.     So  1677;   not,  is 

wanting  in  1587.] 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF    THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       31 

grazing  of  cattle.  Of  the  latter  sort  are  the  study  of  tongues,  of 
physic,  of  law,  of  divinity  especially,  and  of  philosophy,  and 
lastly,  the  governing  of  a  commonweal.  The  patriarchs,  verily, 
who  were  most  innocent  and  excellent  men,  did,  for  the  most 
part,  either  exercise  husbandry,  or  else  breed  and  feed  up 
cattle  to  increase.  There  are  many  examples,  of  Abel,  Noe, 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Job,  and  other  more.  The  Levites 
and  prophets  lived  by  their  study  and  ecclesiastical  ministry. 
The  feat^  of  merchandising  is  nowhere  condemned  throughout 
the  holy  scriptures ;  but  those  merchants  are  condemned,  which 
neither  fear  nor  seek  after  God,  but  use  odd  shifts  and  subtile 
sleights  to  deceive  and  cozen  their  brethren  and  neighbours. 
For  James,  the  apostle  of  Christ  our  Lord,  saith :  "Go  tO[jamesiv. 
now,  ye  that  say.  To-day,  and  to-morrow,  let  us  go  into  such  ~ "' 
a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year,  and  buy,  and  sell,  and  win; 
and  yet  cannot  tell  what  shall  happen  on  the  morrow ;  for 
■what  is  your  life  ?  it  is  even  a  vapour,  that  continueth  for  a 
little  time,  and  then  vanisheth  away.  For  that  ye  ought  to 
say,  If  the  Lord  will,  and  if  we  live*,  let  us  do  this  or  that." 
Neither  is  Lydia,  the  seller  of  purple,  found  fault  withal,  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  for  that  she  did  sell  purple :  for  Prov.  xxxi. 
Salomon,  where  he  setteth  forth  the  praise  of  a  good  house- 
wife, doth  commend  her  greatly  for  exercising  merchandise. 
All  notable  kings  have  lived  by  governing  of  their  common- 
wealths ;  even  as  Joseph,  the  preserver  of  Egypt,  and  Daniel, 
the  chief  next  to  the  king  in  Babylon  and  Media,  did  in  like 
sort.  For  as  in  man's  body  there  are  many  members,  and  i  cor.  xh. 
sundry  uses  whereunto  they  are  applied,  when  as  notwith- 
standing they  do  all  agree  in  one,  and  tend  together  to  the 
preservation  and  safeguard  of  the  body ;  even  so  God  hath 
ordained  divers  arts  and  occupations  for  men  to  labour  in,  so 
yet  nevertheless,  that  he  would  have  them  all  to  serve  to  the 
commonweal's  commodity. 

But  now  it  is  not  for  me  definitively  to  pronounce  which  whatoccu- 
of  all  these  occupations  a  godly  man  ought  chiefly  first  toRodiyman 

•r  .      °        ''  .  _°  "^  .,    oufiht  chiefly 

choose,  and  then  to  put  m  practice.      Let  every  man  weigh  to  use. 
with  himself  the  things  that  hitherto  I  have  alleged ;  then  let 
him  search  and  make  trial  of  himself,  to  what  kind  of  life  and 

[3  feat:    employment.] 

[*  So  Tyndale,  1534,  and    Cranmer,  1530;  and  the  Vulgate  and 
Erasmus,  as  Bullinger,  et  si  vixerimus.] 


prodigality. 


32  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

occupation  his  mind  is  most  willing,  and  whereunto  he  himself 
is  most  fit  and  profitable  :  let  him  also  have  a  diligent  regard 
to  consider,  what  arts  they  are  that  be  most  simple  and  agree- 
able to  nature ;  and  what  occupations  have  least  need  of  craft 
and  deceit ;  and  lastly,  what  sciences  do  least  of  all  draw  us 
from  God  and  justdeaHng.  And  when  this  is  scanned,  then  let 
every  man  choose  to  himself  that  which  he  taketh  to  be  best 
convenient,  and  most  wholesome  both  for  his  soul  and  also  his 
body.  We  cannot  all  of  us  manure  the  ground,  neither  are 
all  heads  apt  to  take  learning ;  a  few  among  many  do  govern 
the  common- weal ;  and  all  are  not  fit  to  be  handicrafts-men. 
Every  one  hath  his  sundry  disposition  ;  every  one  is  inspired 
by  God ;  every  one  hath  the  aid  and  counsel  of  his  friends  and 
well-willers ;  every  one  hath  sundry  occasions;  and  every  one 
hath  the  rule  of  God's  word:  let  him  be  content  with  and  stay 
himself  upon  them,  so  yet  that  God's  commandments  may  still 
have  the  pre-eminence. 
Beware  of  But  for  him  that  laboureth  and  taketh  pains  in  his  occu- 

pation, these  rules  of  admonition  which  follow  are  as  neces- 
sary as  those  which  are  already  rehearsed.  For  first  of  all, 
every  one  must  take  heed  of  prodigality  or  riot,  in  meat, 
drink,  apparel,  nice  pranking  of  the  body,  and  gorgeous 
buildings ;  needless  expenses  must  always  be  spared.  For 
the  Lord's  will  is,  that  every  man  should  keep,  and  not  lash 
out,  the  wealth  that  he  hath,  where  no  need  requireth  it : 
for  the  Lord  doth  hate  and  detest  riot  and  needless  cost  to 
maintain  pride  withal.  Moreover  the  man,  that  is  pro- 
digal of  that  which  is  his  own,  is  for  the  most  part  desirous 
of  other  men's  goods ;  from  whence  arise  innumerable  mis- 
chiefs, threats,  conspiracies,  downright  deceit,  shameless  shifts, 
murders,  and  seditions.  Secondarily,  let  him  which  labour- 
eth in  his  vocation  be  prompt  and  active ;  let  him  be  watch- 
ful and  able  to  abide  labour ;  he  must  be  no  lither-back  \ 
unapt,  or  slothful  fellow.  Whatsoever  he  doth,  that  let  him 
do  with  faith-  and  dihgence.  Sloth  and  sluggishness  do 
displease  God  utterly.  The  Lord  mishkes  the  yawning  mouth 
and  folded  arms,  the  signs  of  sleep,  which  commonly  follow 
the  careless  man,  who  doth  neglect  the  state  and  condition  of 

[1  lither,  lazy,  idle,  slothful.   (North-country  word.)   Grose's  Pro- 
vincial Glossary.    Lond.  1787.] 
[2  fideliter,  Lat.] 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMM.VNDMENTS.      33 

his  house  and  family  ^  But  on  the  other  side,  tlie  scripture 
commendeth  highly  faithful  labourers,  and  good  and  painful 
people  in  work.  Let  us  hear,  I  beseech  you,  the  golden 
■words  of  Solomon,  the  wisest  among  all  men ;  who,  where  he 
blameth  sluggards,  saith :  "Go  to  the  emmet,  thou  sluggard;  [Prov. 
consider  her  ways,  and  learn  to  be  wise.  She  hath  no  guide,  ~ 
nor  overseer,  nor  ruler ;  and  yet  in  the  summer  she  provid- 
eth  her  meat,  and  gathereth  her  food  in  the  harvest.  How 
long  wilt  thou  sleep,  thou  sluggard  ?  when  wilt  thou  arise  out  of 
thy  sleep  ?  Yea,  sleep  on  still  a  little,  slumber  a  httle,  fold  thine 
hands  together  yet  a  little,  and  take  thine  case :  and  in  the 
meanwhile  shall  poverty  come  upon  thee  like  a  traveller,  and 
necessity  like  a  weaponed  man."  Again,  David  in  the  psalms 
crieth,  saying^  :  "  The  labours  of  thine  hands  shalt  thou  eat : 
O  well  is  thee,  and  happy  shalt  thou  be."  What  may  be 
thought  of  that  moreover,  that  the  Lord  God  would  not  have 
Adam  to  live  idly  in  paradise,  that  happy  place  for  his  state 
and  condition  ?  for  he  enjoined  him  the  tending  and  dressing  of 
that  goodly  garden.  Idle  people,  therefore,  are  the  most  un- 
happy of  all  mortal  men ;  and  slothful  drowsy-heads  are  nothing 
else  but  an  unprofitable  lump  of  unoccupied  earth  ^.  Lastly,  let 
the  artificer  have  a  regard,  that  he  hurt  no  man  by  his  art  or 
occupation.  And  let  this  be  the  rule  for  him  to  keep  his  eye 
upon  in  all  business  and  afi'airs  of  his  science  :  "  Whatsoever 
thou  wouldest  have  done  to  thyself,  the  same  do  thou  to 
another ;  and  whatsoever  thou  wouldest  not  have  done  to 
thyself,  that  do  not  thou  to  another"."  Moreover,  thou  doest 
hurt  to  another  man  two  sundry  ways  ;  that  is,  by  keeping 
back,  and  taking  away :  as  for  example,  if  thou  withholdest 
that  which  thou  owest  and  is  not  thine  own ;  or  if  thou 
takest  away  that  which  is  another  man's,  and  that  which  he 
doth  not  owe  unto  thee.  But  of  the  hurt  done  in  withholding 
and  taking   away,  I   will   at   this   present  speak  somewhat 

[3  This  whole  sentence  is  a  paraphrase  of  the  Latin ;  disphcet 
(Deo)  supina  rei  familiaris  negligentia.] 

[■*  Beati  omncs  qui  timent  Dominum,  qui  ambulant  in  viis  ejus,  Lat. 
omitted  by  the  translator;  Blessed  are  all  they  that  fear  the  Lord, 
and  walk  in  his  ways.    Psal.  cxxviii.   Prayer  Book  Version.] 

[5  telluris  inutile  pondus,  Lat.  See  Erasmi  Adag.  Chih'ad.  p.  138, 
Hanov.  1617.] 

[6  See  Vol.  I.  p.  197.] 

r  n  3 

l_BULLINGEPt,   II. J 


34  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

largely,    that   thereby  ye    may   the  better   understand   the 
Lord's  commandment,    "  Thou    shalt   not    steal,"  and   more 
perfectly  perceive  what  kinds  and  sorts  of  theft  there  be. 
Theft.  Theft,  they  say,  is  a  deceitful  fingering  of  another  man's 

goods,  mxoveable  and  bodily,  which  is  done  against  the  owner's 
will,  to  the  intent  to  make  gain  either  of  the  thing  itself,  or 
of  the  use  of  the  thing,  or  of  the  possession  of  the  same. 
Therefore  they  say,  that  a  mad  man  doth  not  commit  theft ; 
because  in  him  there  can  no  endeavour  of  craft  or  deceit  be 
possibly  found.  Neither  can,  say  they,  that  man  be  argued 
of  ^  theft,  which  by  mistaking,  and  not  of  set  malice,  did  take 
away  another  man's  good  instead  of  his  own.  But  he  alone 
is  not  called  a  deceitful  fingerer,  which  layeth  hand  upon  the 
thing;  but  he  who  by  any  manner  of  means  conveyeth  it 
from  the  possession  of  the  true  owner.  Now  they  say,  that 
it  is  done  against  the  owner's  will,  not  only  if  it  be  perforce 
and  violently  taken  from  him  :  but  also  if  he  know  not  of 
the  taking  it  away  ;  or  if  he  do  know,  yet  if  he  cannot  forbid 
them  ;  or,  if  he  can  forbid  them,  yet  if  for  some  certain  causes 
he  will  not.  Neither  is  it  added  without  a  cause,  that  theft 
is  committed  for  gain  and  profit's  sake.  For  if  one  in  jest,  or 
for  some  other  honest  cause,  take  any  thing  away,  he  doth 
not  thereby  deserve  to  be  called  a  thief.  But  of  theft  they 
make  two  sorts :  the  manifest  theft,  as  that  wherewith  the 
thief  is  taken ;  and  the  theft  not  manifest,  as  when,  after  the 
deed,  one  is  convinced  of  theft.  Of  these  there  is  a  large 
discourse,  Digestorum  Lib.  xlvii.  tit.  2 2.  Let  us  return  to 
the  further  opening  of  our  present  proposition. 
Sundry  sorts  Thy  withholding  doth  hurt  another  man,  when  thou  in 

done'^bT^^     buyinc  and  selling  dost  use  false  measure  or  false  weights. 
ing.  ^^  ^^^.^  ^^^^  .^  referred  unjust  and  false  exchange ^ ;  I  mean, 
exchange  of  money  in  bank*.       Touching  these   points  we 
will   recite    the   commandments  and    sentences    only   of   the 
rLev.xix.35,  Lord  our  God,  who  in  Leviticus  settcth  this  for  a  law:   "Ye 
^'^  shall  do  no  unrighteousness  in  judgment,  in  meteyard,  in  weight, 

[1  be  argued  of:  bo  convicted  of,  found  fault  witli  for.] 

[-2  The  foregoing  definitions  of  the  Civil  Law  arc  collected  in  Jul. 
Pacii  Isagog.  in  Instit.  &c.  p.  395,  Traject.  ad  Rhcn.  16S0.] 

[3  Collyljus,  Lat.] 

[4  CoUybus  autem,  ait  Pollux,  est  pormutatio  pecuni;ic,  Lat.  omitted 
by  the  translator.   Cf.  Schleusneri  Lex.  N.  T.  sub  voc.  koWv^kttus.'] 


1.]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF  THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS,       35 

or  in  measure :  true  balances,  true  weights,  a  true  ephah," 
(that  is,  a  bushel,  or  a  peck^  in  measure,  of  dry  things,) 
"  and  a  true  hin,"  (that  is,  in  measure  of  Uquid  things  a  pint 
and  an  half,  or  the  twelfth  part  of  a  pint  and  an  half,^)  "  shall 
ye  have.  I  am  the  Lord  your  God,  which  brought  you  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt."  In  Deuteronomy  we  read:  "  Thou  [Oeut.  xxv. 
shalt  not  have  in  thy  bag  two  manner  of  weights,  a  great  and 
small.  Neither  shalt  thou  have  in  thy  house  divers  measures, 
a  great  and  a  small,"  (to  the  end,  that  in  receiving  or  buying 
thou  mayest  use  the  greater,  and  in  laying  out  or  selling  thou 
mayest  use  the  lesser,)  "  but  thou  shalt  have  a  just  and  aright 
•weight,  and  a  just  and  right  measure  shalt  thou  have ;  that 
thy  days  may  be  prolonged  upon  the  land,  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  giveth  'thee.  For  all  that  do  such  things,  and  all 
that  do  unrightly,  are  abominable  unto  the  Lord  thy  God." 
Hereunto  appertaineth  that  sentence  of  Salomon's  in  the 
Proverbs,  where  he  saith  :  "Two  manner  of  weights,  and  two  [Prov.  xx. 
manner  of  measures,  both  these  are  abominable  unto  the 
Lord.""  But  what  can  be  heard,  or  thought  of,  more  grievous 
and  horrible,  than  a  man  to  be  abominable  in  the  sight  of  his 
God  ?  In  the  sixth  chapter  of  Micheas  also  the  Lord  doth 
threaten  divers  and  grievous  punishments,  which  he  mindeth 
to  lay  upon  the  necks  of  them  that  use  not  justice  in  weights 
and  measures.  Why  therefore  do  we  not  rather  fly  from 
doing  wrong  and  unrighteousness,  choosing  sooner  to  be 
happy  than  unhappy ;  and  hearken  unto  the  Lord,  who 
saith,  "Good  measure,  and  pressed  down,  and  shaken  to- [Lukevi.  380 
gether,  and  running  over,  shall  they  give  into  your  bosom ; 
for  with  the  same  measure  that  ye  mete  to  other,  shall  other 
mete  to  you  again?"  Let  us  be  throughly  persuaded  there- 
fore, that  riches  gotten  by  craft  and  theft  can  neither 
flourish  long,  nor  yet  be  for  our  health  to  enjoy. 

Again,  other  men  are  endamaged  by  the  withholding  of 
them  which  possess  inheritances  due  unto  other :  which  break 
promise,  and  deceive  men  in  contracts,  bargains,  and  cove- 
nants :  which  make  a  face,  as  though  they  gave  the  thing, 

[s  modium  vel  quartale,  Lat.  The  ephah  is  generally  reckoned  to 
have  been  nearly  equal  to  6^  gallons  of  our  dry  mcasm'O.  Home's 
Introd.  Vol.  in.  p.  534,  Lond.  1828.] 

[<5  sextarium  vel  cyathus,  Lat.  The  hin  was  1  gallon,  2  pints,  Eng- 
lish.  Ibid.] 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SEUM. 


which  they  do  either  change,  or  retain  to  themselves  by  some 
coloured  shift,  or  else  do  give  it,  when  they  themselves  have 
marred,  or  utterly  destroyed  it.  Both  the  one  and  the  other, 
verily,  is  fraud  and  guile  and  flat  deceit.  But  now,  by  the 
way,  mark  this  manifest  and  usual  point  of  God's  just  judg- 
ment ;  that  wrongful  possessors  of  other  men's  heritages  are 
both  short-lived,  and  the  unfortunatest  men  of  all  other  people. 
[Prov.x  2,  &  Touching  these  wronsrful   withholders  Salomon  pronounceth, 

xxviii  81  .  . 

that   they  shall   find   no  gain.     For    gain    unjustly   gotten, 
how  great  soever  it  be,  deserveth  rather  to  be  called  a  loss 
more  truly  than  a  gain. 
Things  To  this  precept  do  things  that  are  found  belong,  which 

thou  deniest  to  the  demander,  as  though  thou  either  hast 
not  found  them,  or  else  dost  challenge  them  to  be  thine  own 
Pledges  and  by  law.  Hercuuto  appertaineth  the  pledge,  or  pawn,  which 
pawns.  ^-^^^  withholdest.  A  man  that  taketh  a  journey  into  a  far 
country  hath  put  thee  in  trust  with  certain  silver  plate,  and 
a  pound  weight  of  gold,  to  keep  for  him  against  his  return, 
because  he  had  hope  that  thou  wouldest  keep  them  safely; 
but  at  his  coming  back,  when  he  demandeth  them,  thou  de- 
niest the  thing :  in  so  doing  thou  hast  stolen  it  from  him, 
and  cracked  the  credit  that  thy  friend  had  in  thee,  and,  last 
of  all,  thou  hast  doubled  the  sin.  A  poor  man  hath  guaged  ^ 
to  thee  some  precious  thing,  that  he  setteth  much  by  ;  which 
when  he  claimeth  again,  with  ready  money  in  hand  to  pay 
the  sum  which  he  borrowed  upon  it,  thou  deniest  him  the 
pledge,  thou  quarrellest  with  him,  and  usest  subtilty  to  defraud 
him  of  his  pawn :  in  so  doing  thou  stealest  it  from  him. 
Moreover,  the  Lord  gave  to  his  people  other  laws  to  this 
end  and  eifect,  touching  the  taking  of  pledges  or  guages. 
For  in  Deuteronomy  he  saith,  "  No  man  shall  take  the 
nether  or  the  upper  millstone  to  pledge :  for  he  hath  laid 
his  life  to  pledge  to  thee."  For  it  is  all  one,  as  if  he  had 
said  :  Thou  shalt  not  take  that  at  thy  neighbour's  hand  instead 
of  a  pledge,  wherewith  he  getteth  his  living  and  doth  main- 
tain his  family :  for  thereby  thou  shouldest  take  from  him 
both  life  and  living.  And  immediately  after  he  saith:  "  When 
thou  lendcst  thy  brother  any  thing,  thou  shalt  not  go  into 
his  house  to  fetch  a  pledge  from  thence ;  but  thou  shalt  stand 
without,  that  he  which  borrowed  it  of  thee  may  bring  it  out 
[•  gaged  :  inipawncil,  Johnson.] 


[Dcut.  xxiv, 
0,  10—13] 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH  PHECEPT    OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.        37 

of  doors  to  tliee."  The  Lord  forbiddeth  cruelty,  and  would 
not  have  rich  men  to  be  too  sharp  in  ransacking  poor  men's 
houses,  nor  over  curious  in  taking  of  pledges  at  poor  men's 
hands.  For  he  addeth  afterward :  "  And  if  it  be  a  poor 
body,  thou  shalt  not  sleep  with  his  pledge ;  but  deliver  him 
the  pledge  when  as  the  sun  goeth  down,  that  he  may  sleep 
in  his  own  raiment,  and  bless  thee ;  and  that  shall  be  imputed 
for  righteousness  unto  thee  before  the  Lord  thy  God. 

Lastly,  they  do  most  of  all  endamage  their  neighbours,  The  with- 
which  do  withhold  the  labourer's  wages.     The  labourer's  hire  labourers 

hire. 

is  withheld  two  sundry  ways :  for  thou  dost  either  never 
pay  it ;  or  else  thou  payest  it  with  grudging  and  grunting, 
thou  dost  delay  the  payment  too  long,  or  otherwise  dimi- 
nishest  some  part  of  his  hire.  But  mark  now,  that  the  name 
of  hirelings  is  of  ample  signification,  and  is  extended  to  all 
kinds  of  artificers.  The  common  sort  of  wealthy  men  have 
a  cast  now-a-days  to  use  the  help  of  handicrafts-men,  and 
bid  them  keep  a  reckoning  of  their  hire  and  wages  in  books 
of  accounts :  in  the  mean  while,  though  they  perceive  that 
these  poor  men  lack  money,  yet  will  they  not  pay  so  much 
as  one  penny  ;  yea,  when  they  require  the  debt  that  is  due, 
they  take  them  up  with  bitter  words,  and  send  them  empty 
away,  till  they  themselves  be  disposed  to  pay.  And  so  these 
foolish  and  wicked  wealthy  men  do  not  cease  to  lash  out  in 
riot  prodigally  the  things  that  are  not  clearly  their  own,  but 
which  they  withhold  from  other  poor  men.  Let  us  hear 
therefore  the  laws  and  judgments  of  the  Lord  our  God 
touching  this  horrible  abuse  and  detestable  fault.  In  Deu- 
teronomy we  read:  "  Thou  shalt  not  deny,  nor  withhold,  the  f^^,']"'''^ 
wages  of  an  hired  servant,  that  is  needy  and  poor,  whether 
he  be  of  thy  brethren,  or  of  the  strangers  that  are  in  thy 
land  and  within  thy  gates ;  but  shalt  give  him  his  hire  the 
same  day,  and  let  not  the  sun  go  down  thereon,  for  he  is 
needy,  and  by  the  hire  he  holdeth  his  life  2,"  (that  is,  he  layeth 
the  hope  of  his  life  therein,  as  he  that  looks  to  live  thereby,) 
"  lest  he  cry  unto  the  Lord,  and  it  be  turned  unto  sin  to  thee." 
"With  this  law  of  the  Lord  do  the  words  of  James  the 
apostle  most  fitly  agree,  where  he  saith :  "  Behold,  the  hire 
of  labourers,  which  have  reaped  down  your  fields,  which  hire 
is  of  you  Icept  back  by  fraud,  crieth ;  and  the  cries  of  them 
['-  et  ad  morcedem  tollit  animura  suum,  Lat.] 


o8  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

which  have  reaped  are  entered  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord 
of  Sabboth^""  What  can  be  more  terrible  to  the  hearer^'s 
ears  ?  The  labourer's  hire,  which  is  withheld,  doth  cry,  and 
crieth  even  up  into  heaven ;  and,  that  which  is  most  of  all, 
doth  enter  into  the  ears  of  the  most  just,  severe,  and 
mighty  God.  What  now  may  these  defrauders  look  for  at 
God's  hand,  but  heavy  punishment  to  light  upon  their  cursed 
heads?  Tobie  therefore  most  rightly  and  briefly  concludeth 
this  matter,  and  giveth  excellent  counsel  to  all  sorts  of  peo- 

[Tobitiv.14.]  pie,  saying:  "Whosoever  worketh  any  thing  for  thee,  give 
him  his  hire  immediately,  and  let  not  thy  hired  servant's 
wages  remain  with  thee  at  all.  For  in  so  doing,  and  fearing 
God,  thou  shalt  have  thanks." 

Damage  that         Now  followoth  tlio  secoud  member  or  part  of  detriment, 

IS  done  "V  ,  .    ,      ,  ... 

taking  away,  which  dotli  consist  iu  taking  away  another  man's  goods.  And 
this  taking  away  also  is  of  sundry  sorts.  Now,  the  first 
place  of  these  sorts  is  attributed  to  theft  itself  (of  which 
we  have  spoken  somewhat  before) ;  which  theft  is  committed, 
not  in  taking  away  of  money  only,  but  in  wares  also,  and 
wrongful  dealing  in  other  men's  grounds,  in  removing  land- 
marks or  mere-stones^ ;  and  whatsoever  is  translated,  denied, 
or  clean  taken  away,  against  all  right ;  or  is  maliciously, 
against  all  conscience  and  consent  of  the  other  party,  that  is, 
of  the  true  owner,  delayed,  or  foaded  oif^,  till  a  longer  time 
than  it  ought  to  be.  For  in  the  nineteenth  of  Leviticus  the 
Lord  setteth  this  down  for  a  law,  and  saitli :  "Ye  shall  not 
steal,  ye  shall  not  lie ;  no  man  shall  deal  with  his  neighbour 

[Eph.  iv.  25,  deceitfully ."  And  Paul  to  the  Ephesians  saith  :  "Laying 
lies  aside,  speak  ye  every  one  the  truth  to  his  brother ;  for 
we  are  members  one  of  another.  Let  him  which  stole  steal 
no  more;  but  rather  labour  with  his  hands  in  working  the 
thing  that  is  good,  that  he  may  give  to  him  that  hath  need." 
This  may  wc  extend  almost  to  all  the  offices  and  duties  of 
men.  For  whosoever  denieth  the  debt  and  duty  which  of 
right  he  oweth,  the  same  doth  sin  against  this  commandment: 

[1  James  v.  4,  Sabaoth,  Lat.  In  Cranmer's  Bible,  1639,  it  is  Sab- 
baotli;  and  in  the  Geneva  New  Testament,  1557,  "the  Lord  of 
Armies."] 

[2  mere :  a  boundary,  Johnson.] 

[3  To  fodo  out,  or  fodo  forth,  with  words :  to  keep  in  attention  and 
expectation,  to  feed  witli  words.    Naros'  Glossary  in  voc.] 


I.]       THE  EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       30 

as  for  example,  if  the  householder  deny  the  duty  that  he 
oweth  to  his  family ;  again,  if  the  family  consume  the  house- 
holder's substance,  and  do  deceive  the  good  man,  whose  care 
is  bent  to  maintain  his  charge,  and  are  set  to  undo  him  by 
prodigal  spending  his  money  and  goods,  which  they  filch 
from  him  privily.  Again,  if  the  lord,  or  master,  (although 
this  point  may  well  be  referred  to  the  title  of  damage  tliat 
is  done  by  withholding)  be  too  rough  to  his  hinds,  or  hus- 
bandmen'* :  or  if  the  ploughfolks  do  idly  waste  their  master's 
substance,  or  slackly  look  to  their  tillage  and  business,  or 
spend  in  riot  his  wealth  and  riches.  So  then,  the  servant 
offendeth  against  this  commandment,  if  he  doth  not  seek  all 
the  means  that  he  may  to  have  a  diligent  care  for  his  master's 
affairs,  and  faithfully  augment  his  wealth  and  possessions. 
And  in  like  manner  do  maidservants,  in  the  duties  which  they 
owe,  offend  against  their  mistresses.  And  therefore  Paul, 
having  an  eye  to  this  precept,  giveth  Titus  in  charge,  and 
saith  :  "Exhort  servants  to  be  obedient  unto  their  own  mas-  [xuusii.f), 
ters,  and  to  please  them  in  all  things ;  not  answering  again, 
nor  pickers,  but  shewing  all  good  faithfulness,  that  they  may 
adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things."  And 
like  unto  this  is  that  which  the  same  apostle  repeateth  in  the 
sixth  chapter  to  the  Ephesians,  the  third  to  the  Colossians, 
and  the  first  to  Timothy,  the  sixth  chapter :  for  in  this  com- 
mandment his  doctrine  of  the  duties  of  masters  and  servants 
hath  a  fit  place  (so  far  as  conccrncth  the  householder's  riches), 
and  whatsoever  else  is  like  unto  this. 

To  this  precept  also  robbery  and  deceit  do  fully  belong,  f°^^^'y  a"'^ 
both  which  extend  far,  and  contain  many  kinds.  Fraud  is 
infinite  :  for  the  iniquity  of  men  is  bottomless,  their  crafts 
are  diverse,  and  of  so  many  sorts  that  no  one  man  can 
number  them  all.  And  robbery  is  not  always  armed  with 
force  and  weapons,  but  is  sometimes  furnished  with  sleights 
and  coloured  words :  neither  do  robbers  lurk  and  lay  wait 
in  woods  and  wide  open  fields  alone,  but  are  conversant  also 
in  the  thickest  throngs  of  every  good  city.  Thou  takest 
away  thy  neighbour's  goods  under  the  false  title  and  pretence 
of  law  ;  thou  robbest  him,  I  say,  Avhile  by  thy  suit,  thy  gifts, 
or  other  fetches,  thou  dost  extort  from  the  judges  corrupted 

[■*  hinds  or  husbandmen,  colonis  suis,  Lat. ;  hind,  a  servant,  Johnson ; 
a  peasant  or  rustic.    Toonc's  Glossary.] 


carding. 


40  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

sentence,  to  maintain  thy  wrongful  claim.  Some  there  are 
which,  under  the  title  of  a  deed  of  gift,  stick  not  to  wrest 
whole  heritages  from  legitimate  heirs.  These  and  other 
shifts,  or  cozenings  like  unto  these,  are  contained  partly  under 
robbery,  partly  under  deceit,  but  altogether  and  flatly  under 
plain  thievery. 
Dicing  and  Although  at  dico   players  do  give  their  mutual  consent 

to  fall  to  gaming:  yet,  for  because  each  one's  desire  is  greedily 
set  to  get  the  other's  money,  and  that  they  make  blind  for- 
tune (I  mean,  the  dice  or  cards)  to  be  the  divider  of  their 
goods  betwixt  them  ;  therefore  are  the  dice  and  cards  wor- 
thily condemned  of  all  good  divines.  And  Justinian  the  em- 
peror, as  it  is  extant.  Cod.  Lib.  in.  tit.  ultimo,  having  a  regard 
to  his  subjects'  commodity,  decreed,  that  it  should  be  lawful 
for  no  man,  either  in  public  or  in  private  houses,  to  play  at 
dice.  For  although  dice-play  hath  been  used  of  great  anti- 
quity, yet  hath  it  ended  and  burst  out  into  tears.  For  many, 
having  lost  all  the  substance  that  they  have,  do  at  the  last 
in  play  break  forth  to  the  cursing  and  blaspheming  of  God^ 
Otherwise  there  is  none  so  ignorant  but  knoweth  well  enough, 
that  such  exercises  of  the  wit  or  body  as  are  free  from  the 
poisoned  desire  of  the  filthy  gain,  whereon  neither  the  hurt 
of  our  neighbour  nor  ourself  doth  depend,  are  lawful  enough 
to  be  used  of  Christians. 

Usury  2  is,  when  thou  grantest  to  another  the  use  of 
thy  goods,  as  of  land,  houses,  money,  or  any  thing  else, 
whereof  thou  receivest  some  yearly  commodity.  For  thou 
hast  a  manor,  a  farm,  lands,  meadows,  pastures,  vineyards, 
houses,  and  money,  which  thou  dost  let  out  to  hire  unto 
another  man  upon  a  certain  covenant  of  gain  to  return  to 

[1  Imp.  Justinianus  A.  Joanni  P.  P.  xv.  Alearum  usus  antiqua  res 
est,  et  extra  opera  pugnatoria  concessa :  veriim  pro  tempore  procliit  in 
lacrymas,  oxtranearum  multa  nationum  suscipions.  Quldam  enim  lu- 
dentes,  nee  ludum  scicntes,  sed  numeratione  tantuni,  proprias  sub- 
stantias perdiderunt,  die  noctuquo  ludendo  argento,  apparatu,  lapidibus, 
et  auro :  consequenter  autem  ex  hac  inordiuationc  blaspliemarc  Deum 
conantur,  et  instrumcnta  conficiunt.  Commodis  igitur  subjcctorum 
prospicientes,  hac  general!  lege  decernimus,  ut  nuUi  liceat  in  publicis 
vel  privatis  domibus  ludcre,  neque  inspicerc,  &c. — Codex  Justin.  Lugd. 
1551,  Tom.  I.  p.  515,  Lib.  ill.  tit.  43.] 

[2  See  Jul.  Pacii  Isagog.  in  Digest.  Lib.  xxn.  tit.  1.  pp.  189—200, 
Traject.  ad  Rlien.  1G80.] 


Usury. 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COM.MANDMENTS,       41 

thee  for  the  use  thereof.  This  bargain,  this  covenant,  is  not 
of  itself  unlawful,  nor  yet  condemned  in  the  holy  scriptures. 
And  the  very  name  of  usury  is  not  unhonest  of  itself:  the 
abuse  thereof  hath  made  it  unhonest,  so  that  not  without  a 
cause  it  is  at  this  day  detested  of  all  men.  For  usury  is  in 
the  scripture  condemned,  so  far  as  it  is  joined  with  iniquity 
and  the  destruction  of  our  brother  or  neighbour.  For  who 
■will  forbid  to  let  out  the  use  of  our  lands,  houses,  or  money 
to  hire,  that  thereby  we  may  receive  some  just  and  lawful 
commodity  ?  For  buying,  setting  to  hire,  and  such  like 
contracts  are  lawfully  allowed  us.  And  as  the  part  of  him 
that  giveth  is  to  do  good ;  so  is  it  the  duty  of  him  that 
taketh  not  to  use  a  good  turn  without  all  manner  of  recom- 
pence,  to  the  hurt  and  hinderance  of  him  that  giveth  it.  In 
bestowing  of  mere  benefits  there  is  another  consideration, 
whereof  we  read  in  the  sixth  of  Luke :  "  If  ye  lend  to  them, 
of  whom  ye  hope  to  receive  again,"  &c.  And  the  lawyers 
did  discuss  this  matter  thus :  that  it  is  no  usury,  when  the 
debtor  giveth  a  pension,  and  some  yearly  fee,  in  recompence 
of  the  money  which  he  hath  borrowed,  saving  the  principal 
sum  which  he  hath  borrowed  whole,  by  a  covenant  that  was 
made  before  of  selling  it  back  again ;  because  the  thing  doth 
cease  to  be  lent,  which  is  so  granted  to  another  man's  use, 
that,  unless  the  debtor  will,  the  creditor  cannot  claim  the 
thing  so  long  as  the  debtor  payeth  his  pension ;  for  the  as- 
sured payment  whereof  he  hath  put  himself  in  bond :  for 
such  a  crediting  is  a  flat  contract  of  buying.  They  say 
therefore,  that  usury  is  committed  in  lending  alone  (which 
ought  to  be  without  hire),  and  not  in  other  contracts  or 
bargains.  Let  them  therefore,  which  deal  in  these  kind  of 
trades,  have  this  always  before  their  eyes,  as  a  rule  to  be 
led  by :  "  Whatsoever  thou  wouldest  have  done  to  thyself, 
that  do  thou  to  another :  and  whatsoever  thou  wouldest  not 
have  done  to  thyself,  that  do  not  thou  to  another^."  And 
let  them  think  of  those  words  of  the  apostle  :  "  Let  no  man  n  xhess. 
beguile  his  brother  in  bargaining."  I  know  very  well,  that 
touching  money  they  are  wont  to  allege,  that  it  endureth 
not  as  lands  and  vineyards,  but  is  consumed  and  made  less 
with  use  and  tossing  from  man  to   man ;  and  that  therefore 

[3  See  page  34.] 


42  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

no  commodity  ought  to  be  taken  for  the  use  thereof  ^  But 
if  a  man  put  money  into  another  man's  hand,  wherewith  he 
buyeth  himself  a  farm,  a  manor,  lands,  or  vineyards,  or 
otherwise  occupieth  it  to  his  gain  and  profit,  I  see  no  cause 
why  a  good  Christian  and  an  honest  man  may  not  reap  some 
lawful  commodity  of  the  hire  of  his  money,  as  well  as  of  the 
letting  or  leasing  of  his  land.  It  is  in  the  power  of  him 
which  so  letteth  out  his  money,  with  that  money  to  buy  a 
farm,  and  so  to  take  the  whole  gain  to  himself;  but  now  we 
see  that,  in  letting  the  other  have  it,  he  granteth  him  the 
use  of  his  money,  whereby  he  is  a  very  great  gainer.  This 
fellow,  to  whom  this  sum  is  lent,  or  otherwise  given  upon 
covenants  of  contract,  doth  with  the  money  get  some  stay 
of  living,  with  the  revenue  whereof  he  nourisheth  all  his 
family,  paying  to  his  creditor  the  portion  agreed  on ;  of 
which  when  he  hath  once  made  a  full  restitution,  he  maketh 
the  living  his  own  for  ever,  and  acquitteth  himself  from  the 
yearly  pension.  In  this  kind  of  covenanting  no  man,  I 
think,  will  say,  that  the  poor  is  oppressed,  when  the  thing 
itself  doth  rather  cry,  that  by  such  usury  the  poor  is  greatly 
helped.  Usury  therefore  is  forbidden  in  the  word  of  God, 
so  far  forth  as  it  biteth  (for  here  I  use  the  very  term  of  the 
scriptures-)  his  neighbour,  while  it  hindereth  him,  or  other- 
wise undoeth  him.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  in  Leviticus : 
35-3a']''''  *'  ^^  *^y  brother  be  waxen  poor,  and  fallen  in  decay  2,  whether 
he  be  a  stranger  or  indweller,  relieve  him,  that  he  may  live 
with  thee.  Thou  shalt  take  no  usury  of  him,  or  more  than 
right;  but  fear  the  Lord,  that  thy  brother  may  live  with 
thee.  Thou  shalt  not  give  him  thy  money  upon  usury,  nor 
lend  him  thy   victuals  for  increase*.     I  am  the  Lord  your 

['  Nee  vero  arguta  ilia  ratio  Aristotelis  consistit,  foenus  esse  prretci* 
naturam,  quia  pecunia  sterilis  est,  ncc  pecuniam  parit,  &c. — Calvin. 
Comment,  in  quat.  libr.  Mosis.  ed.  Amstel.  1671,  Tom.  i.  p.  528.] 

[^  "^W^  interest  (from  '^^2  momordit)  from  its  involving  an  in- 
jurious, biting,  system.  Lee's  Lexicon  in  voc.  and  Calvin.  Comment. 
Tom.  I.  p.  527,  col.  2.] 

[3  nutaveritquo  manus  ejus  tecum,  Lat.  (and  his  hand  faileth  with 
thee.  Auth.  Vers.  Marg.  reading;)  id  est,  si  facultas  ejus  apud  te 
deficere  inceperit,  Lat.,  omitted  by  the  translator:  that  is,  if  his  means 
with  thee  begin  to  fail.] 

[4  ad  nimium,  sivo  exccssum,  sivc  suporabundantiam,  Lat. ;  for  too 
large,  or  for  excess  and  superabundance  of,  increase.] 


I.]        THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       43 

God."  Therefore  the  Lord  mishkcth  all  arts  of  covetous 
and  deceitful  men,  wherewith  they  do  not  only  exceed  mea- 
sure in  exacting  usury,  but  do  of  purpose  let  out  their  money 
and  substance  to  hire,  that  by  that  occasion  they  may  wipe 
their  debtors  of  all  that  they  have. 

No  man,  I  think,  can  in  few  words  express  all  the  wicked 
fetches  of  subtile  usurers ;  they  invent  such  new  ones  every 
day.  I  will  therefore  recite  here  the  judgment  of  the 
Lord  against  a  few  wicked  arts  and  detestable  deeds  of 
usurers,  in  lending,  letting,  and  selling ;  to  the  end  that,  these 
being  once  considered,  all  men  may  judge  and  take  heed  of 
the  like.  The  prophet  Amos  in  the  eighth  chapter  saith : 
"  Hear  this,  O  ye  that  swallow  up  the  poor,  and  make 
the  needy  of  the  land  to  fail,  saying  :  After  a  month ^  we 
will  sell  corn,  and  at  the  week's  end  we  will  set  forth  wheat, 
we  will  make   the  ephah   small,   and  the  sicle^  great,  and  That  is,  the 

measure 

falsify  the  weights  by  deceit;  that  we  may  buy  ihe  poor  ^man ajM 
for  silver,  and  the  needy  for  shoes,  and  sell  the  refuse  of  e^^^*- 
the  wheat.  The  Lord  hath  sworn  by  the  excellency  of  Jacob, 
Surely  I  will  never  forget  any  of  their  works.  Shall  not 
the  land  tremble  for  this?  shall  not  every  one  mourn  that 
dwelleth  therein?  and  it  shall  rise  up  wholly  as  a  flood,"  &c. 
Wherefore,  that  the  wrath  of  God  may  be  turned  away 
from  falling  upon  commonweals  and  kingdoms  for  unjust  usure"i^ 
extortion  in  usury  and  detestable  usurers,  it  is  the  part  of  a 
holy  magistrate  to  bridle  usurers  with  upright  laws ;  and, 
according  to  the  quality  of  times,  places,  states,  and  persons, 
to  appoint  a  lawful,  just,  and  honest  lucre,  that  usurers  may 
not,  in  lending,  letting,  buying,  and  selhng,  oppress  the  poor 
people,  but  that  equity  and  justice  may  be  kept  in  all  things. 
Of  this  duty  of  his  the  magistrate  hath  a  notable  example 
in  Nehemias,  suppressing  the  covetousness,  cruelty,  and  ex- 
treme injury  of  usurers,  and  other  oppressors  of  his  Jewish 
commonalty.  It  is  at  large  set  down  in  the  fifth  chapter  of 
the  history  of  Nehemias.  In  this  therefore,  which  I  have 
hitherto  alleged,  I  mean  not  to  father  or  defend  unjust  occu- 
piers, usurers,  or  their  insatiable   covetousness ;  but  I  affirm 

[5  The  authorised  Version  has  "the  new  moon;"  but  in  the  margin 
"month."] 

[<5  So  Coverdale's  Bible,  1535,  has  "sycle,"  from  the  Latin,  siclian, 
shekel.      See  Becon's  Works,  Parker  Soc.  ed.  Vol.  il.  p.  109.] 


44  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

flatly,  that  they  live  of  the  blood  and  bowels  of  their  bre- 
thren and  countrymen,  and  that  they  shall  be  undoubtedly 
damned,  unless  they  repent  them  of  their  sin  and  extortion. 
The  very  law  of  nature  doth  make  greatly  against  them, 
which  I  object  here,  and  say  unto  them  :  "  Whatsoever  thou 
wouldest  not  have  done  to  thyself,  that  do  not  thou  to  ano- 

[Lukeiii.  12,  ther."  "The  publicans  also  came  to  John,  that  they  might 
be  baptized  of  him,  and  said,  Master,  what  shall  we  do  ? 
To  whom  he  said :  Exact  no  more  than  is  appointed  for  you." 
These  publicans  were  such  as  lived  upon  the  public  toll  and 
customs,  which  they  had  farmed  at  the  Komans'  hands  for  a 
certain  sum  of  ready  money.  Now,  he  bade  not  these  publi- 
cans to  leave  off  their  toll-gathering,  but  willed  them  to  be 
content  with  their  appointed  duty.  In  like  manner  I  urge 
the  same  sentence,  and  say  to  all  usurers  and  occupiers : 
"  Exact  no  more  than  is  appointed  for  you."  But  if  ye  want 
a  certain  constitution  and  ordinance,  set  down  by  the  magis- 
trate, for  the  gain  of  your  money  in  every  several  trade ; 
then  let  equity,  humanity,  and  charity  prevail  in  your  minds, 
and  let  the  common  law  sink  into  your  hearts,  which  saith : 
"  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  the 
same  do  ye  to  them."  "If  thine  eye,"  saith  the  Lord,  "be 
single,  all  thy  body  is  lightsome  ;  but  if  the  light  that  is  in 
thee  be  darkness,  how  great  then  is  that  darkness !" 

Sacrilege.  Sacrilego  is  the  spoiling  of  holy  things  which  are  con- 

secrated to  God  and  the  use  of  the  church.  For  the  church 
of  God  hath  hallowed  goods  and  riches,  wherewith  it  doth 
partly  maintain  sincere  doctrine  and  the  holy  ministry  of 
the  church ;  and  partly  relieve  the  needy  saints  and  impotent 
brethren.  The  church  also  hath  goods  and  possessions,  to 
keep  the  places  of  prayer,  spiritual  houses \  and  hospitals^ 
in  due  reparations ;  and  lastly,  for  the  public  help  of  all 
people  in  common  calamities  and  grievous  afflictions.  They 
therefore  are  church-robbers,  which  do  convert  the  church- 
goods  from  the  lawful  and  holy  purpose,  for  which  they 
were  ordained,  into  a  profane  and  godless  use ;  spending  them 
prodigally  in  hunting,  gay  clothing,  superstition,  whore- 
hunting,  dicing,  drinking,  and  excessive  banqueting  :  in 
which  things  bishops  and  magistrates  of  these  days  do  greatly 

[1  fcdium  saeertlotalium,  Lat.] 

[2  xcnodochiorum  aut  hospitalium,  Lat.] 


I.]       THE   EIGHTH   PllECErT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       45 

offcncP.  And  it  cannot  otlierwiso  be,  but  that  some  great 
misfortune,  and  more  calamities  than  one,  must  needs  follow 
that  foul  abuse  of  ecclesiastical  riches  and  spiritual  goods. 
For  as  Christ  our  Lord,  the  very  Son  of  God,  is  spoiled  and 
defrauded  in  the  poor  and  needy  ;  so  doctrine  and  godliness 
come  to  an  end,  honest  studies  do  utterly  decay,  the  sheep 
of  Christ  are  altogether  destitute  of  good  and  faithful  shep- 
herds, and  are  left  for  a  prey  to  ravening  wolves  and  merciless 
robbers.  But  yet  we  must  have  a  regard  not  to  account 
in  the  number  of  church-robbers  such  heads  and  overseers 
of  holy  religion,  as  some  kings  of  Juda  were,  but  Ezechias 
especially,  and  many  other  bishops  and  pastors  of  the  pri- 
mitive church,  who,  in  many  troublesome  broils,  when  either 
■wars  did  waste  their  countries  and  commonweals,  or  else 
when  hunger  or  some  other  public  calamity  did  oppress  and 
pinch  their  silly  ^  countrymen,  did  not  stick  to  bestow  the 
church-goods  liberally,  and  to  empty  the  treasure  of  the  hal- 
lowed money,  that  thereby  they  might  do  the  poor  oppressed 
some  good :  but  they  had  undoubtedly  been  wrongful  church- 
robbers,  if  they,  to  spare  money  and  other  vessels  which  are 
without  life,  would  not  have  redeemed  living  creatures,  their 
countrymen,  from  death  and  penury.  There  is  an  excellent 
place  of  this  matter  in  St  Ambrose,  Ojficiorum,  Lib.  n.  cap. 
28^  There  are  also  notable  examples  hereof  in  the  eccle- 
siastical history''. 

Moreover,  in  the  number  of  church-robbers  divines  ac- 
count Simoniacs,   that   is,    merchants'^,   I  mean,   buyers  and  si 

[3  See  Seckendorf.  Coram,  de  Luth.  Lib.  iii.  Sect.  21.  §  Lxxvni. 
Add.  1.] 

[4  silly,  see  Vol.  i.  pp.  189,  351.] 

[5  The  title  of  this  chapter,  in  the  treatise  de  Officiis  Ministrorum, 
is  :  Misericordiam  etiam  cum  invidia  propria  largius  exercendam :  ad 
quod  refertur  memorabilis  vasorum  sacrorum  in  captivorum  redem- 
tionem  ab  Ambrosio  fractorum  historia,  et  pulcherrima  de  auri  et  ar- 
geuti  qua)  ecclesia  possidct  Icgitimo  usu  prsecipiuntur,  &c. — Ambrosii 
0pp.  Tom'.  II.  col.  102,  Par.  1690.] 

[6  In  his  treatise,  De  Episcoporum  Instit.  et  Funct.  BuUingcr  in- 
stances such  an  example  of  Achatius,  Tripart.  Hist.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  IG, 
and  of  Cyi-il,  ibid.  Lib.  v.  cap.  37.  He  alleges  also  the  examples  and 
words  of  Ambrose,  Laurcntius,  Exuperius,  Jerome,  and  Augustine: 
cap.  9.  fol.  117,  Tigur.  1538.  J 

[7  Chanancci,  Lat.     Sec  Hos.  xii.  7.] 


46  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

sellers  of  spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  dignities.  For  such  an 
[Acts  viii.  18,  one  is  Simon  Magus,  their  grand  patriarch,  reported  to  have 
Ambition,  been  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  In  the  civil  law,  whoso- 
ever went  about  with  privy  gifts  to  buy  the  voice  of  any 
man  to  speak  on  his  side,  when  public  offices  were  for  to  be 
bestowed,  he  was  guilty  of  ambition ;  and,  beside  the  shame 
and  open  infamy,  was  compelled  to  pay  an  hundred  crowns 
for  his  offence  ^  But,  because  this  belongs  not  to  sacrilege, 
we  let  it  pass,  and  return  to  our  matter. 

They  are  church-robbers,  whosoever  either  do  not  pay 
at  all,  or  else  do  pay  unwillingly,  the  goods  that  are  due 
to  the  church;  I  mean,  their  tithes  and  yearly  revenues. 
It  is  to  be  seen  in  the  scriptures,  how  terribly  the  prophets 
[Hag.  i.]  do  threaten  church-robbers.  Haggeus  testified,  that  the 
ground  brought  forth  so  ill  and  little  fruit  for  nothing  else, 
but  for  because  the  people  did  not  truly  pay  that  which  of 
[iviai  iii.  10  duty  they  ought  to  the  temple.  In  Malachy,  God  pro- 
miseth  the  people  to  make  their  ground  fruitful,  if  they  will 
pay  liberally  the  stipends  and  tributes  due  to  the  temple. 
Now  the  ministers  of  the  churches  may  use  those  revenues, 
or  stipends,  by  as  good  law  and  right  as  they  that  use  the 
profit  of  the  ground,  which  they  themselves  have  husbanded. 
For  so  doth  the  Lord  expressly  teach  them  in  the  eighteenth 
of  the  Book  of  Numbers ;  wherewithal  Paul's  saying  agreeth 
in  the  ninth  chapter  of  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 
And  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  also  gave  alms  to  the  poor 
of  the  stipend  which  he  had,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  in  the  thir- 
teenth chapter  of  St  John''s  Gospel. 

Moreover,  beggars  commit  sacrilege,  who  abuse  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  make  their  poverty  a  cloak  to  keep  them 
idle  still.  The  apostle  commandeth  Timothy  not  to  cherish 
such  idle  hypocrites  and  wandering  vagabonds  with  the  alms 
and  expenses  of  the  church  goods. 

But  now  the  greatest  sacrilege  of  all  is,  if  a  man  trans- 
late the  glory  of  God,  the  Creator,  unto  a  creature. 

There  is  a  kind  of  theft  called  Peculatus,  which  is  com- 
mitted in  filching  the  common  treasure,  or  purloining  away 
the  prince's  substance^.    This  kind  of  robbery  brcedcth  every 

[1  See  Jul.  Pacii  Isagog.  in  Digest.  Lib.  xlviii.  tit.  14.  p.  422,  and 
Smith's  Dictionary  of  Greek  and  Roman  Antiquities,  sub  voc.  Ambitus.] 
[2  See  Jul.  Pacii  Isagog.  in  Digest.  Lib.  xlviii.  tit.  13.  p.  421.] 


tc] 


I.]        THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       47 

hour  new  exactions,  and  givoth  wicked  magistrates  good 
cause  and  fit  opportunity  to  polF  the  poor  commonalty.  Of 
this  sort  of  robbers  did  Cato  happily*  speak,  when  he  said  : 
"  Private  thieves  do  lead  their  lives  in  chains  and  fetters, 
but  pubhc  thieves  in  gold  and  purple  ^"  Under  this  title  of 
robbery  are  all  those  contained,  that  either  do  not  pay  at 
all,  or  else  pay  with  ill-will,  the  tributes  and  taxes  that  are 
due  to  their  magistrates.  Lastly,  all  they  are  counted  faulty 
in  this  kind  of  thievery,  whosoever  do  abuse  the  pubhc  wealth 
or  treasure  of  the  commonweal. 

Other  some  there  are,  that  take  up  children,  whom  they  Plagium 
know  very  well,  and  sell  them  to  other,  thereby  to  get  ad- 
vantage ;  or  else  do  steal  away  other  men's  servants.  This 
kind  of  theft  the  lawyers  call  Plagium^.  And  of  this  offence 
are  those  people  guilty,  which,  by  evil  whispering,  persuasion, 
and  seditious  doctrine,  do  draw  servants  and  handmaids  from 
obedience  to  their  masters,  and  children  from  doing  reverence 
and  duty  to  their  parents.  And  when  captains,  that  are  hired 
of  strange  princes  to  serve  for  money  in  foreign  wars,  do, 
against  the  parents'  will  and  knowledge,  carry  away  whole  This  is  used 
bands  of  silly  young  men,  whom   they  entice  with  many  fair  somuch^'asin 

1  -1  1    •     1  IT  1  Bullinger's 

promises,   and  entrap  with  sundry  sleights,   leading  them  to  <>*"  country, 
wars  wherein  they  perish  and  never  return  to  their  friends  fj;:;^''^^j  ;^^o 
again ;  such  captains,  I  say,  are  to  be  reckoned  in  the  number  doVwcute' 
of  men-stealers".      This  offence  of  old  was  punished  by  death,  '"^^''y- 

P  poll :  plunder.]  [4  happily,  or  ^ap?j/ ;  Lat.  forte,] 

[5  Sed  enim  M.  Cato  in  oratione,  quam  do  prseda  militibus  divi- 
denda  scripsit,  vehementibus  ct  illustribus  verbis  de  impunitatc  pecu- 
latus  atque  licentia  conqueritur.  Ea  verba,  quoniam  nobis  impense 
placuerunt,  adscripsimus  :  Fares,  inquit,  privatorum  furtorum  in  nervo 
atque  in  compcdibus  setatem  agunt;  fures  publici  in  auro  atque  in 
purpura. — A.  Gell.  Noct.  Attic.  Lib.  xi.  cap,  18,  See  also  Becon's 
Works,  Parker  Soc.  ed.  Vol.  ii.  p.  600 ;  and  Calvin.  Comment.  Tom.  i. 
p,  531.  col.  ii.  Amstel,  1671.] 

[c  See  Jul.  Pacii  Isagog.  in  Digest,  Lib.  XLViii.  tit.  15.  p.  422, 
and  Smith's  Diet,  sub  voc.  plagium.] 

[■^  "  By  a  law  no  less  pohtic  than  humane,  established  among  tho 
cantons  (of  Switzerland),  their  troops  were  not  hired  out  by  public 
authority  to  both  the  contending  parties  in  any  war.  This  law  tho 
love  of  gain  had  sometimes  eluded,  and  private  persons  had  been 
allowed  to  enlist  in, what  service  they  pleased,  though  not  under  the 
public  banners,  but  under  those  of  their  ofificers." — Robertson's 
Hist,  of  Charles  V.  book  ii.  Vol.  ii,  p.  189,  Lond.  17S2.] 


48  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

as  it  is  evident  in  the  twenty -first  of  Exodus,  and  in  the  law 
of  Constantine,  which  is  to  be  seen  Cod.  Lib.  ix.  tit.  20  ^ 

Abigei2.  Another  sort  of  thieves  there  is,  which  we  call  felons ; 

and  those  be  they  which  steal  and  drive  away  other  men's 
cattle.  In  this  order  of  thieves  are  those  people  placed, 
which  do  misuse  the  cattle  that  is  lent  them ;  and  they  also, 
which,  when  they  may,  will  not  help  another  man's  cattle 
that  is  in  jeopardy  :  for  the   Lord  in  the  law    commanded 

[Dciit.  xxii.    to  bring  back  that  which  goeth  astray,  and  to  restore  it  to 
the  right  owner. 

Thus  much  hitherto  have  I  spoken,  my  brethren,  touching 
the  sundry  kinds  of  theft,  of  the  just  and  lawful  getting  of 
goods,  and  also  of  the  proper  owning  of  peculiar  riches. 


1,  ^c] 


OF    THE    LAWFUL  USE    OF   EARTHLY   GOODS;    THAT  IS, 

HOW  WE   MAY  RIGHTLY  POSSESS,  AND   LAWFULLY 

SPEND,   THE   WEALTH  THAT   IS   RIGHTLY   AND 

JUSTLY    GOTTEN:    OF   RESTITUTION, 

AND   ALMS-DEEDS. 

THE  SECOND  SERMOX. 

I  DID  in  my  last  Sermon,  dearly  beloved,  declare  unto 
you,  by  what  means  goods  are  rightly  gotten,  and  how 
many  kinds  of  theft  there  be,  and  sundry  sorts  of  getting 
wealth  unlawfully.  There  is  yet  behind  another  treatise  for 
me  to  add,  and  therein  to  teach  you  what  is  the  true  use  of 
goods  rightly  gotten,  and  how  we  may  lawfully  possess  them, 
and  justly  spend   and  dispose   them  in  this  transitory  life. 

[1  Imp.  Constantinus  A.  ad  Cclercm  vicarium  Africce  xvi.  Pla- 
giarii,  qui  viventium  filiorum  miserandas  infligunt  parentibus  orbitates, 
metalli  poena  cum  ceteris  ante  cognitis  suppliciis  teneantur.  Si  quis 
tamen  ejusmodi  reus  fuerit  oblatus,  postcaquam  super  crimine  cla- 
ruerit;  scrvus  quidem,  vel  libertate  donatus,  bestiis  subjiciatur ; 
ingenuus  autem  gladio  consumatur.  D.  Kal.  Augu.  Constantino  A.  iiii. 
et  Licinio.  Coss. — Codex  Justin.  Lugd.  1551,  Tom.  ii.  p.  701,  Lib.  }x, 
tit.  20.] 

[2  Abigoi  dicuntur,  qui  gregem  ovium  aut  pccorum — vel  equum  do 
grcge,  vel  bovcm  de  aimento  abducunt. — Jul.  Pacii  Isagog.  in  Instit. 
Lib.  XLVII.  tit.  14.  p.  406,  Trajcct.  ad  Rben.  1G80.] 


another 
man's 
be  posi 


II.]       THE   EIGHTH    PRECErX   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.     49 

For  justice  doth  not  only  not  defraud  any  man,  but  doth,  so 
much  as  it  may,  endeavour  itself  to  do  good  to  all  men ; 
neither  is  it  enough  for  a  godly  man  not  to  hurt  any  body, 
unless  also  he  do  good  to  all  that  he  can.  And  in  this  point 
do  many  men  sin,  while  they  are  persuaded  that  they  have 
done  all  the  duty  that  they  owe,  if  they  hurt  no  man, 
and  if  they  possess  that  which  they  have  without  trouble 
to  any  man  ;  although  in  the  meanwhile  they  have  no  regard, 
whether  they  help  or  do  good  to  any  man,  or  no.  And  he 
sinneth  as  greatly  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  which  doth  not 
use  rightly  goods  justly  gotten,  as  he  that  hath  heaped 
up  wealth  in  wickedness  and  naughty  means.  I  will  tell 
you  therefore,  so  far  as  God  shall  give  me  grace,  how,  and  in 
what  sort,  godly  men  may  holily  possess  and  dispose  these 
earthly  goods. 

First  of   all,   that   the   use   of   worldly  wealth   may   be  Nothing  of 

,.,.  l  another 

healthful  to  the  owner,  holy  men  have  a  diligent  care,  that  mans  must 
nothing  of  another  man's  remain  in  their  possession :  that  is, 
they  do  carefully  separate  wealth  rightly  come  by  from 
unjust-gotten  goods,  and  do  faithfully  restore  whatsoever  they 
find,  in  that  which  they  have,  to  belong  of  right  unto  other 
men.  For  they  are  throughly  persuaded,  and  do  verily 
believe,  that  by  this  means  the  wealth  that  is  left  them, 
although  by  restitution  it  be  somewhat  diminished,  will  yet 
notwithstanding  prosper  the  better,  endure  the  longer,  and  be 
far  more  fruitful  unto  them. 

Now  this  restitution  is  flatly  commanded,  and  also  very  Restitution  i 

'  n  T         1     •        il  1  necessary. 

necessary  to  be  put  in  practice :  tor  tlie  Lord  in  tlie  law 
doth  by  sundry  means,  and  that  very  carefully,  give  charge 
of  it  too,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  twenty-second  of  Exodus.  Kxod.  xxii. 
Moreover,  so  often  as  the  just  and  holy  commandment  of 
God  was,  through  the  covetousness  and  wickedness  of  man- 
kind, cast  off  and  neglected,  the  Lord  raised  up  grievous  and 
almost  unspeakable  evils  against  the  contemners  thereof,  and 
scattered  abroad  the  unjust-gotten  goods  by  wars,  mishaps, 
and  divers  calamities.  For  the  prophet  Esay  crieth,  saying : 
"The  Lord  shall  enter  into  judgment  with  the  elders  andisauiu. 
princes  of  his  people,  and  shall  say  unto  them.  It  is  ye  that 
have  burnt  up  my  vineyard,  the  spoil  of  the  poor  is  in  your 
houses."  And  Amos  in  the  third  chapter  of  his  prophecy 
crieth  :  "  They  store  up  ti-easures  in  their  palaces  by  violence 

4 

[bulling  EU,   II.  J 


50 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


Wlien  resti 
tulion  is  to 
be  :nade.. 


To  whom 
restitution  is 
to  be  made. 


and  robbery.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  :  Miseries 
shall  invade  thee  on  every  side  of  the  land,  and  thy  enemies 
shall  bring  down  thy  strength,  or  riches,  from  thee,  and  thy 
palaces  shall  be  spoiled."  We  read  therefore  in  the  gospel, 
that  Zacheus,  of  his  own  accord,  promised  restitution  four-fold 
double,  that  is,  a  full  and  absolute  recompence  of  whatsoever 
he  had  taken  wrongfully  away ;  and  it  is  assuredly  certain, 
that  he  performed  that  promise :  for  he  understood  by  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  a  restitution  of  his  ill-gotten 
goods  was  especially  necessary,  and  that  he  should  never  be 
happy  until  he  had  made  a  full  amends  for  all  his  wrongful 
dealings.  Very  rightly  therefore  said  St  Augustine  in  his 
fifty-fourth  epistle  to  Macedonius,  where  he  writeth  :  "If,  when 
thou  mayest,  thou  dost  not  restore  that  which  thou  hast  of 
another  man's  goods,  then  is  not  repentance  truly  performed, 
but  falsely  feigned :  but  if  repentance  be  truly  taken,  then  is 
not  sin  forgiven,  unless  restitution  be  made  of  that  which  was 
taken  away ;  but,  as  I  said,  when  it  may  be  restored^" 

But  touching  the  time,  when  restitution  ought  to  be  made, 
the  example  of  Zacheus  teacheth  us ;  who,  so  soon  as  he  was 
received  unto  the  favour  of  Christ,  and  did  understand  the 
works  of  truth  and  equity,  did  immediately  promise  restitu- 
tion, and  out  of  hand  perform  the  same.  Wherefore  we 
must  not  foad  off  from  day  to  day  to  make  restitution.  No 
man  hath  need  to  double  his  offence.  For  thou  needest  not 
by  thy  morrow  and  over-morrow  delays  to  augment  his  dis- 
commodity and  hinderance  any  longer,  from  whom  thou  hast, 
by  thy  subtil  means  and  wicked  violence,  wrested  the  goods 
that  he  hath ;  considering,  that  he  to  his  loss  hath  lacked 
them  long  enough,  and  been  without  them  too  long,  God  wot  2. 

If  thou  demandest,  to  whom  thou  oughtest  to  make  resti- 
tution ?  I  answer,  to  him  from  whom  thou  tookest  it,  if  thou 
knowest  from  whom  thou  hast  had  it,  and  who  it  is  whom 
thou  hast  defrauded.  But  by  that  means,  sayest  thou,  I 
shall  bring  myself  into  obloquy  and  infamy.     I  bid  thee  not 


[1  Si  enim  res  aliena,  propter  quam  peccatum  est,  quum  reddi 
possit,  non  redditur,  non  agitur  poenitentia,  scd  fingitur :  si  autcm 
veraciter  agitur,  non  remittctur  peccatum,  nisi  restituatur  aLlatum ; 
sed,  ut  dixi,  cum  rcstitui  potest. — Aug.  0pp.  Par.  1531,  Tom.  11. 
fol.  48,  col.  4.] 

[2  This  expression  is  the  translator's.] 


II,]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.      51 

do  SO  :  but,  if  tbou  didst  invent  a  means  to  take  it,  then  find 
out  some  handsome  way  to  restore  it  again,  whereby  thou 
mayest  escape  and  not  incur  the  note  of  infamy.  And  pray 
to  the  Lord,  that  he  will  vouchsafe  to  shew  thee  a  ready  way 
and  apt  for  to  accomplish  the  thing  that  thou  mindcst.  If 
thou  meanest  in  good  sadness^  to  make  true  restitution,  thou 
shalt  undoubtedly  find  a  way  to  do  it  without  reproach  and 
obloquy.  But  if  thou  dost  but  dally  and  jest  with  the  Lord, 
thou  wilt  not  be  without  a  thousand  excuses,  the  best  and  the 
soundest  whereof  will  never  set  thy  conscience  at  quiet  liberty. 
Neither  is  God  mocked.  I  cannot  tell,  sayest  thou,  from  whom 
I  have  taken  it,  and  therefore  I  know  not  to  whom  I  should 
restore  it.  If  in  very  deed  thou  knowcst  not  from  whom 
thou  hast  taken  it ;  then  hast  thou  the  poor  and  needy,  on 
whom  to  bestow  it :  to  those  thou  oughtest  to  deal  thy  unjust- 
gotten  goods,  and  not  to  superstition,  or  the  ministers  thereof. 

Now,  let   every  one  make  restitution  of  so  much  as  he  How  much 
hath  taken  away  ;  or  at  the  least,  of  so  much  as  he  is  ableo"siitto 

•^  restore. 

to  restore.     For  many  have  spent,  and  so  prodigally  wasted 

other  men's  goods,  that  they  are  not  able  to  make  restitution 

of  any    thing  again.      Let  such    fellows  acknowledge    their 

fault,  and  repent  their  folly,  from  the  bottom  of  their  hearts. 

And  if  it  happen  at  any  time  afterward  that  they  come  by 

goods,  then  let  them  be  so  much  more  liberal  of  their  own, 

as  before  they  were  prodigal  in  spending  other  men's.      But 

if  all  the  riches  which  thou  possessest  be  other  men's  goods, 

and  gotten  of  thee  by  theft  and  robbery,  so  that,  if  thou 

madest  a  full  restitution,   there  should  no  penny  be  left  for 

thee,  but  that  thou  must  needs  go  beg ;  then  art  thou  verily 

hard  bestead,  and  in  too  woeful  a  taking ;  yea,  thou  art  mad 

and  far  beside  thyself,  if  thou  wilt  not  stick,  but  still  go  on 

to  paint  thy  pride,  and  maintain  a  port  with  other  men"'s  pence, 

and  satisfy  thy  lust  in  the  bowels,  blood,  and  sweat  of  poor 

men's  brows.      Why  dost  thou  not  rather  abase  thy  self  to 

poverty,  and  use  thy  unjust-gotten  goods,  as  needy  people  use  cooii  counsel 

their  alms  ?   For  thou  livest  of  that  that  should  be  the  poor's. 

Therefore  lay  down  thy   pride,    and  forsake   thy  ruffling* 

[3  sadness:  seriousness,  earnestness.] 

[4  ruffling:  to  ruffle,  to  put  out  of  form  or  discompose;  but  used 
by  old  writers  to  signify  the  acting  in  a  rough,  turbulent,  or  disorderly 
manner. — Toone's  Glossary.] 

4—2 


52  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

riot.  Consider  with  thyself,  who  thou  art,  and  whereupon 
thou  Uvest :  and  still  do  thy  endeavour  to  make  restitu- 
tion, so  far  as  thou  canst;  and  let  it  grieve  thee  to  see 
thyself  not  able  to  restore  the  whole  again.  If  it  be  not  a 
grief  to  thee  for  a  time  to  suffer  poverty,  to  labour  and 
faithfully  to  exercise  some  honest  occupation,  and  to  train 
up  thy  children,  leading  them  as  it  were  by  the  hand,  to 
work  ;  then  thou  shalt  not  want  whereon  to  live,  although 
thou  restorest  all,  whatsoever  thou  hast,  of  other  men's  goods. 
But  there  is  very  small  and  almost  no  faith  at  all  in  many 
men ;  whereby  it  cometh  to  pass,  that  very  few,  or  none,  can 
be  persuaded  to  make  true  restitution.  To  this  I  add  (before 
I  go  any  further)  that  they  ought  especially  to  think  of  a 
restitution,  which  have  with  evil  words  corrupted  the  minds 
of  simple  souls ;  with  privy  backbiting  raised  slanders  on 
other  men ;  or  with  perverse  counsel  stirred  up  the  mightier 

Ample  or     msu  agaiust  the  weaker  sort :  for  these  things  do  pass  and 

courses  have  are  far  above  all  earthly  riches. 

been  made  ^ 

restuutSn.  Thus  much  havo  I  said  hitherto  touching  restitution,  of 

which  other  men  have  left  very  ample  discourses.  I  for  my 
part  do  see,  that  to  a  godly  mind  this  work  of  restitution  is 
short  and  plain  enough  ;  and  therefore  have  I  spoken  of  it 
so  shortly  as  I  have.  For  a  godly  and  well  disposed  man 
doth  with  all  his  heart  desire  and  seek  to  obey  the  law  of 
God  ;  and  therefore,  by  calling  to  God  for  aid,  he  shall  easily 
find  a  way  to  work  justice  and  equity.  As  for  those  whose 
desire  is  rather  to  seem  just  men  than  to  be  just  indeed, 
and  do  love  this  world  more  than  it  becometh  them  to  do ; 
they,  with  their  over  many  questions  and  innumerable  per- 
chances  and  putcases^,  do  make  the  treatise  of  restitution 
so  tedious  and  intricate,  that  no  man  shall  ever  be  able  to 
make  it  so  plain  that  they  will  understand  it.  I  will  not 
therefore  answer  them  any  more,  but  only  warn  them  to 
examine  their  own  conscience,  and  see  what  that  doth  bid 
them  do.  Now  I  would  have  that  conscience  of  theirs  to 
be  settled  in,  and  be  mindful  of,  the  general  law,  which  saith : 
"  Whatsoever  thou  wouldest  have  done  to  thyself,  that  do 
thou  to  another;  and  whatsoever  thou  wouldest  not  have 
done  to  thyself,  that  do  not  thou  to  another." 

[1  put  case,  an  elliptical  expression  for  suppose  that  it  may  he  so. 
Joliusoii.] 


II.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEX   COMMANDMENTS.       53 

After  this   now    I   will  somewhat   freely  discourse  upon  we  must  not 

,         .  .  ^•  •  f  t^  set  our  minds 

the  just  possessing,  using,  or  disposing  of  well-gotten  earthly  """i-hes. 
substance.  First  of  all,  no  man  must  put  any  confidence  in 
riches,  which  are  indeed  things  transitory  and  do  quickly 
decay :  we  must  not  settle  our  minds  upon  nor  be  in  love 
with  them ;  but  by  all  means  take  heed  that  they  drive 
us  not  to  idolatry,  nor  hinder  the  course  that  we  have  to 
pass.  Heaven  is  the  goal  whereat  we  run^.  Here  again 
we  must  all  give  ear  to  the  divine  and  heavenly  words  uttered 
by  the  prophet  David,  who  said :  "  Put  your  trust  in  God  Psai.  ixii. 
always,  pour  out  your  hearts  before  him ;  for  God  is  our 
refuge.  As  for  the  children  of  men,  they  be  but  vain :  the 
children  of  men  are  deceitful  upon  the  weights,  they  are 
altogether  lighter  than  vanity  itself.  Trust  not  in  wrong 
and  robbery,  give  not  yourselves  to  vanity  :  if  riches  increase, 
set  not  your  hearts  upon  them^"  The  apostle  Paul,  being 
endued  with  the  same  spirit,  biddeth  us  to  use  the  world  and 
worldly  things,  as  though  we  used  them  not*.  Again,  he 
calleth  covetousness  the  worshipping  of  idols ;  and  chargeth  [coioss.  in. 
rich  men  not  to  put  their  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but  in  ri  Tim.  vi. 
the  living  God,  who  ministereth  to  all  creatures  living  suffi- 
ciently enough.  And  therefore  the  Lord  in  the  gospel 
forbiddeth  to  heap  up  treasures  upon  earth. 

^STow,  on  the  other  side,  we  are  not  bidden  by  the  apostles  ^^bw^en? 
to  spend  our  goods  prodigally,  in  riot  and  wantonness.  For 
we  may  not  abuse  the  wealth,  that  the  I^ord  hath  lent  us, 
in  pride  and  luxury,  as  many  do,  who  lash  out  all  in  dicing, 
sumptuous  building,  strange  clothing,  excessive  drinking,  and 
over- dainty  banqueting.  The  end  and  destruction  of  such 
kind  of  people  the  Lord  doth  very  finely  ^,  though  not  without 
terror  to  them  that  hear  it,  set  down  in  the  parable  of  the 
rich  glutton,  who,  after  his  delicate  fare  and  costly  apparel, 
was  after  this  life  tormented  in  hell  with  unspeakable  thirst, 
and  toasted  there  with  unquenchable  fire.  Therefore  these 
temporal  goods  must  be  rightly,  holily,  and  moderately  used, 
without  excess. 

Everyman  must  acknowledge  these  terrestrial  goods  to  be  Riches, ire 
the  mere  and  free  gifts  of  our  bountiful  and  heavenly  Father,  ood  for 

[2  Ad  ccelos  tendimus,  Lat.] 

[3  Seo  Prayer-book  Version.] 

[4  1  Cor.  vii.  31.     See  page  31.]  [5  venusto,  Lat.] 


54  THE     THIRD    DECADE,  [sERM. 

whicvhe      and  not  to  be  given  for  our  deserts,   or  gotten  by  our  might. 

thanked.  YoT  wc  liavc  of  God's  liberality  all  things  necessary  to  main- 
tain our  lives.  It  is  the  Lord  which  blesseth  and  doth 
prosper  our  labour.  Finally,  they  are  not  evil,  but  the  good 
gifts  of  God,  which  he  giveth  to  the  maintenance  of  our  lives, 
and  not  to  our  destruction:  the  fault  is  in  ourselves,  that 
riches  are  a  snare  to  bring  many  men  to  evil  ends.  Moreover, 
the  Lord  himself  requireth,  and  in  his  word  commandeth  us, 
to  be  thankful  unto  him  for  his  good  benefits  bestowed  on  us ; 
to  use  them  with  thanksgiving ;  to  praise  his  name  for  all 
things ;  and  to  rejoice  in  his  fatherly  goodness  shewed  unto 
us.     For  thus  doth  Moses,  the  servant  of  God,  in  Deutero- 

LDeut. viii.]  nomy,  charge  the  Israelites^:  "When  thou  hast  eaten  there- 
fore, and  filled  thyself,  then  thank  the  Lord  thy  God  in  that 
good  land  which  he  hath  given  thee.  Beware  that  thou 
forget  not  the  Lord  thy  God,  that  thou  wouldest  not  keep  his 
commandments,  his  laws  and  ordinances,  which  I  command 
thee  this  day  :  yea,  and  when  thou  hast  eaten,  and  filled  thy- 
self, and  hast  built  goodly  houses,  and  dwellest  therein  ;  and 
when  thy  beasts  and  thy  sheep  are  waxen  many,  and  thy 
silver  and  thy  gold  is  multiplied,  and  all  that  thou  hast 
is  increased ;  then  beware,  lest  thine  heart  rise,  and  thou 
forget  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  brought  thee  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  from  the  house  of  bondage.  Say  not  then  in 
thine  heart.  My  power  and  the  might  of  mine  own  hand  hath 
prepared  me  this  abundance.  Remember  the  Lord  thy  God  : 
for  it  is  he  that  giveth  thee  power  to  get   substance,  &c." 

[1  Tim.  iv.4.]  Moreover  Paul  the  apostle  saith,  that  all  the  creatures 
of  God  are  good,  created  to  the  good  and  preservation  of  us 
men ;    and  biddeth  us  use  them  with  the  fear  of  God  and 

[1  Cor.  X.  31.]  giving  of  thanks.  And  again:  "  Whether  ye  cat  or  drink, 
or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God."      And  in 

[Heb.xiii. 5,  auothor  place:  "Let  your  manners  be  far  from  covctousness ; 
and  be  content  with  the  things  that  ye  have  :  for  he  hath 
said,  I  do  not  forsake,  nor  leave  thee.  So  that  we  may 
boldly  say.  The  Lord  is  my  helper,  I  will  not  fear  what  man 
can  do  unto  me." 

[1  Dominus  Dcus  tuus  dabit  tibi  terram  prrcstantissimam,  in  qua 
nulla  ro  indigcbis,  Lat.  omitted  by  tlio  translator ;  The  Lord  thy  God 
shall  give  thcc  a  most  excellent  land,  wherein  thou  shalt  not  lack  any 
tiling.] 


II.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDJIENTS.       OO 

Let  earthly  goods  also  serve  our  necessity.  Now  necessity  Goods  serve 
requireth  a  commodious  dwelling-place,  so  much  victuals  as  neccbsuy. 
are  sufficient,  comely  apparel,  and  honest  company-keeping 
with  our  neighbours  and  equals.  Let  every  man  measure 
and  esteem  these  circumstances,  first  by  his  own  person,  then 
by  his  family  or  household.  For  an  householder  must  warily 
provide  and  foresee,  that  no  necessary  thing  be  wanting  in 
his  family.  Of  this  care  of  the  householder  there  are  sundry 
testimonies  of  scripture  extant ;  but  specially  that  of  St  Paul, 
in  the  fifth  chapter  of  his  first  epistle  to  Timothy.  And  here 
note,  that  by  necessity  all  things  are  meant,  which  the  body 
or  life  of  man  doth  necessarily  require  and  stand  in  need  of; 
and  finally,  whatsoever  the  honesty  and  beseeming  of  every 
man  doth  crave  or  demand.  And  thus  far  verily,  and  to  this 
end  or  purpose,  it  is  lawful  for  any  man  to  lay  somewhat  up 
in  store  against  years  to  come.  The  man,  whose  charge 
is  much  in  keeping  a  great  house,  hath  need  of  the  more 
to  maintain  it  withal :  and  he,  whose  family  is  not  so  big, 
needeth  so  much  the  less  as  his  house  is  the  smaller.  And 
one  state  of  life,  and  a  greater  port,  becomcth  a  magistrate ; 
when  another  countenance,  and  a  lower  sail,  beseemeth  a 
private  person.  But  in  these  cases  let  every  man  consider 
what  necessity  requireth,  not  what  lust  and  rioting  will  egg 
him  unto.  Let  him  think  with  himself,  what  is  seemly  and 
unseemly  for  one  of  his  degree. 

And  yet  we  do  not  in  this  treatise  make  so  strict  a  ^^^^'j^ff/^'y, 
definition  of  necessity,  as  that  thereby  we  do  utterly  condemn  j;,"^;^^'"'^'''^ 
all  pleasure  and  moderate  liberty  for  sensuality  and  luxury. 
For  I  know  that  God  hath  granted  and  given  to  man,  not 
only  the  use  of  necessity, — I  mean,  the  use  of  those  things 
which  we  as  men  cannot  be  without, — but  also  doth  allow 
him  all  moderate  pleasures  wherewithal  to  delight  him.  Let 
no  man  therefore  make  scruple  of  conscience  in  the  sweet 
and  pleasant  use  of  earthly  goods,  as  though  with  that  sweet 
pleasure  which  he  enjoyeth  he  sinned  against  God ;  but  let 
him  which  maketh  conscience,  make  it  rather  in  the  just  and 
lawful  use  of  those  terrestrial  riches.  For  the  Lord  hath  in  no 
place  forbidden  mirth,  joy,  and  the  sweet  use  of  wealth, 
so  far  forth  that  nothing  be  done  undccently,  unthankfully, 
or  unrighteously.  For  the  prophet  Jeremy,  alluding  to  the 
promises  of  God's  law  contained  in  the  twenty-sixth  of  Levi- 


56  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

ticus  and  the  twenty-eighth  of  Deuteronomy,  salth :  "  They 
shall  come  and  rejoice  in  Sion,  and  shall  have  plenteousness  of 
goods  which  the  Lord  shall  give  them,  namely,  in  wheat, 
wine,  oil,  young  sheep  and  calves ;  and  their  soul  shall  be  as 
a  well  watered  garden ;  for  they  shall  no  more  be  sorrowful. 
Then  shall  the  maid  rejoice  in  the  dance,  yea,  both  young 
and  old  folks :  for  I  will  turn  their  sorrow  into  gladness,  and 
will  comfort  them,  and  make  them  merry.  I  will  make 
drunken  the  hearts  of  the  priests  with  fat,  and  my  people 
shall  be  filled  with  my  goodness,  saith  the  Lord."  Jeremy 
thirty-first.  Moreover^  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  third 
book  of  Kings  we  read :  "And  under  Solomon  they  increased, 
and  were  many  in  number,  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  eating  and 
drinking,  and  making  merry"."  Again,  in  the  eighth  chapter 
of  the  same  book  we  find  :  "  And  Solomon  made  a  solemn 
feast,  and  all  Israel  with  him,  a  very  great  congregation, 
which  came  together  out  from  among  all  the  people,  even 
from  the  entering  in  of  Hcmath  unto  the  river  of  Egypt, 
before  the  Lord  seven  days  and  seven  days,  that  is,  fourteen 
days  in  all.  Afterward  he  sent  away  the  people,  and  they 
thanked  the  king,  and  went  unto  their  tents  very  joyfully, 
and  with  glad  hearts,  because  of  all  the  goodness  that  the 
Lord  had  done  for  David  his  servant,  and  for  Israel  his 
people^."  Like  unto  this  is  that  which  we  read  in  the 
eighth  chapter  of  Nehemias,  in  these  words :  "  And  Esdras, 
with  the  Levites,  said  to  all  the  people  which  was  sad  and 
sorrowful.  This  day  is  holy  unto  the  Lord  your  God :  be  not 
ye  sorry,  and  weep  ye  not ;  but  go  your  way  to  eat  the  fat, 
and  drink  the  sweet,  and  send  part  unto  them  that  have  not, 
&C.'"  And  the  Lord,  verily,  doth  not  require  us  men  to  be 
without  all  sense  and  feeling  of  those  pleasures  which  he  of 
his  grace  hath  given  us  to  enjoy  ;  neither  would  he  have  us  to 
be  altogether  benumbed,  like  blocks  and  stocks  and  senseless 
stones :  for  he  himself  hath  graffed  in  us  all  the  sense  and 
feeling  of  good  and  evil,  of  sweet  and  sour.  And  the  same 
our  God  and  Maker  hath,  of  his  eternal  goodness  and  wisdom, 
ordained  a  certain  natural  excellency  in  his  creatures,  and 

[1  in  saci-a  historia,  Lat.  omitted  ;  in  tlio  sacred  history.] 
[2  1  Kings  (commonly  called.  The  Third  Book  of  the  Kings,  Auth. 
Vcr.)  iv.  20. — In  Juda  et  Israela,  Lat.    omitted  by  tlie  translator.] 
[^  univorso  populo,  Lat.] 


II.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       57 

hath  adorned  them,  and  made  them  so  delectable,  that  we 
may  delight  in  and  desire  them  ;  yea,  and  that  more  is,  our 
God  hath  planted  in  them  a  nourishing  force  and  virtue  to 
cherish  us  4nen,  and  to  keep  our  bodies  in  fair  and  good 
likinoj.  For  David  saith  :  "And  (he  maketh  grow  out  of  the  [Psai.civ.  is. 
earth)  wine  that  maketh  glad  the  heart  of  man,  and  oil  to 
make  him  have  a  cheerful  countenance,  and  bread  to  strengthen 
man's  heart.  The  trees  of  the  Lord  are  full  of  sap,  wherein 
the  birds  make  their  nests,  and  sing,  &c."  Moreover,  it  is 
reported  that  Jacob,  the  patriarch,  did  drink  to  drunkenness ; 
and  of  Joseph  and  his  brethren  the  scripture  saith  :  "And  in 
drinking  with  him  they  were  made  drunken  with  wine^." 
Now  no  man  will  take  this  drunkenness  of  theirs  for  that 
excessive  bibbing,  which  the  holy  scripture  doth  every  where  IJj^,^"^"?^^,"" 
condemn ;  but  for  a  certain  sweet  and  pleasant  measure  in  [^^""^.pre''' 
drinking,  wherewith  being  once  satisfied  they  wore  made  the  ™»'ie  merry. 
merrier.  For  that  mad  kind  of  drunkenness  bereaves  the 
senses,  and  is  so  far  from  causing  men  to  be  jocund  and 
merry,  that,  clean  contrariwise,  it  maketh  them  wayward, 
uncivil,  out  of  order,  beastly,  swinehke,  and  filthy.  A  like 
phrase  of  speech  useth  Haggeus  the  prophet,  where  he  saith  :  [Hag. i.e.] 
"  Consider  your  own  ways  in  your  hearts  ;  ye  sow  much,  but 
ye  bring  httle  in  ;  ye  eat,  but  ye  have  not  enough  ;  ye  drink, 
but  not  unto  drunkenness:"  that  is,  not  unto  sweet  and 
pleasant  sufficiency,  that,  being  filled  and  jocund  therewith, 
ye  need  desire  no  more,  but  for  that  plenty  give  thanks  to 
the  Lord,  your  good  benefactor,  for  bestowing  it  on  you. 
This  do  I  somewhat  more  largely  declare,  because  of  the 
Anabaptists^,  and  certain  senseless  Stoics,  and  other  new 
sprung  up  hypocrites,  the  Carthusian  monks  ^,  who,  as  they 
go  about  to  make  men  mere  blocks,  so  do  they,  with  most 
tragical  outcries,  condemn  utterly  all  allowable  pleasure  and 

[*  There  seems  to  be  some  oversight  in  the  mention  of  Jacob. 
Concerning  Gen.  xliii.  34,  Ainsworth,  in  loc.  remarks :  "  largely  drank, 
or  drunk  themselves  merry :  were  drunken,  which  word  is  used  for 
large  drinking  unto  mirth,  but  with  sobriety.  Hag.  i.  6 ;  John  ii.  10".] 
[5  BuUinger,  adv.  Anabap.  Lib.  I.  cap.  10,  Tigur.  1560.] 
[•5  The  Carthusian  order  of  Monks,  so  called  from  their  first  settle- 
ment at  Chartreuse,  near  Grenoble  in  France,  arose  in  the  year  1084 
or  108G.  They  were  a  branch  of  the  Benedictines,  and  were  the  most 
austere  of  all  the  religious  sects. — Mosheim,  Cent.  xi.  Part  2.  Book  3. 
chap.  2.  ^^27.] 


58  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

lawful  delights.  They,  to  colour  and  commend  their  odd 
opinion  to  the  ears  of  men,  abuse  many  places  of  the  sacred 

[Luke  vi.  25.]  scriptures:  "Woe  (say  they)  to  you  which  now  are  full,  and 
do  laugh  now ;  for  the  time  will  come,  when  ye  «hall  hunger 
and  weep :"  -when  as  indeed  this  and  such  hke  sayings  were 
uttered  of  God  against  the  wicked,  and  such  as  do  unthank- 
fully  abuse  the  benefits  and  creatures  of  their  good  God.  And 
therefore,  for  a  conclusion  of  that  which  I  have  hitherto  said, 
I  add  this ;  that  godly  men  must  still  take  careful  heed,  that 
they  let  not  loose  the  reins  to  lust,  and  so  exceed  the 
golden  mean^  For  mean  and  measure  in  these  allowed  plea- 
sures also  is  liked  and  looked  for,  as  well  as  in  other  things. 

Riches  must  Furthermore,  let  goods  and  earthly  substance  serve  to  do 

serve  to  do       ,  i       i  • 

honour,  and  Jionour,  Eud  show  curtoise"  humanity  m  one  man  to  another. 

sliew  cour-  t/ 

.iour  be-''"  -^^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^^J  ^^^  honour  and  humanity  to  our  kinsfolks 
andmanf"  ^°^  alliance,  our  friends  and  acquaintance,  our  countrymen 
and  strangers.  For  we  must  not  only  do  good  to  them  that 
are  familiar  with  us,  but  to  them  also  whom  we  did  never  see 
before,  in  keeping  hospitality  for  wayfaring  strangers,  so  far 
as  our  substance  will  stretch  to  maintain  it.  For  if  otherwise 
thy  wealth  be  slender,  as  that  it  will  do  no  more  but  maintain 
thine  own  house  and  family,  no  parcel  of  God's  law^  doth 
bind  or  bid  thee  to  distribute  to  other  men  the  wealth  which 
thou  thyself  dost  need  as  much  or  more  than  they.  It  is 
sufficient  for  thee  to  provide  that  they  of  thine  own  household  be 
not  a  burden  to  other  men's  backs.  So  then  the  man,  whose 
wealth  is  small,  is  not  compelled  to  spend  that  little  which  he 
hath^  in  doing  honour  or  shewing  courtesy  to  other  men :  it 
is  enough  for  him  to  bear  with  a  valiant  heart  his  own  hard 
hap,  and  to  take  heed  that  his  poverty  procure  him  not  to 
offend  against  right  and  honesty.  Let  those  who  are  indiffe- 
rently stored  ^  and  richer  men  who  have  wealth  at  will,  be 
courteous  and  liberal  to  entertain  strangers  with  frank  hospi- 
tality. Let  their  minds  be  set  to  use  hberality  to  their  own 
praise  and  honesty,  and  not  given  to  filthy  greediness  and 
unhonest  sparing  of  every  odd  halfpenny.  For  some  thou 
shalt  find,  who,  though  they  be  indifferent  well  stored  with 

[1  no  quid  niinis,  Lat.]  [2  i.  e.  courteous.] 

[3  nulla  Dei  vol  rcqua  lex,  Lat. ;  no  laAv  of  God  or  equity.] 
[4  quod  lion  habet,  Lat. ;  that  which  he  hath  not.] 
[5  mediocre?,  Lat.] 


II.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMM.VNDMENTS.      50 

wealth  and  possessions,  are  yet  notwithstanding  so  wholly 
given  over  to  the  gathering  of  more,  that  neither  for  their 
own  honesty's  sake,  nor  for  any  shew  of  courtesy,  they  will 
once  bestow  a  dodkin*'  upon  any  man  whatsoever,  be  he  their 
own  countryman,  or  a  stranger  unknown.  These  kind  of  fel- 
lows are  always  chambered,  and  keep  themselves  close  in  secret 
counting-houses ;  their  bags  are  their  pillows  whereon  they 
sleep  and  dream  of  their  ruddocks'  ;  they  are  not  seen  to  stir 
abroad,  lest  peradventure  occasion  should  be  offered  them  to 
give  entertainment,  or  to  shew  some  civility  to  aliens  and 
strangers.  The  scripture  doth  give  a  far  better  report  of  the 
most  holy  and  famous  patriarchs,  our  grand  predecessors. 

Lot  sat  in  the  gates  of  Sodom  to  wait  for  strangers  and  The  patn- 

"  archs'  hos- 

wayfarino;  men,  to  the  end  he  might  take  them  home  to  his  P'taiity. 

•/  O  '  O  [Gen.  XIX.  J 

house,  and  give  them  entertainment  so  well  as  he  could.  And 
if  it  fell  out  that  he  met  with  a  stranger,  he  did  not  desire 
him  home  to  his  house  for  fashion's  sake  only,  that  is,  with 
faint  or  feigned  words ;  but  he  used  in  earnest  all  the  means 
he  could  to  compel  him  perforce  to  take  up  his  inn,  and  lodge 
with  him  that  night.  Of  our  father  Abraham  ye  read 
in  Genesis,  that  in  the  very  heat  of  the  day,  as  he  sat  [Ren.  xviii.i 
in  the  door  of  his  tent,  he  espied  three  men  that  were  tra- 
vellers, whom  at  the  first  sight,  although  he  knew  them 
not,  he  entertained  very  lovingly,  and  bade  them  welcome 
heartily.  For  he  stayeth  not  to  look  when  they  should 
come  and  request  to  refresh  themselves  with  him;  but  start- 
etli  up,  and  meeteth  them  before  they  come  to  the  door  of  his 
tent,  where  he  himself  preventeth  them  in  speaking  first  unto 
them ;  and,  when  he  had  courteously  after  his  country-manner 
with  obeisance  saluted  them,  he  biddeth  them  very  lovingly 
home  to  his  house,  and  saith :  "  I  beseech  thee,  my  Lord,  if 
I  may  find  favour  in  thy  sight,  pass  not  away,  I  pray  thee, 
from  thy  servant."     Lo,  here  he  calleth  a  traveller,  and  a  we  say  in 

,  •,  ^    T         1     /  /-I  tnglish.  Sir. 

stranger  too,  by  the  name  of  Lord  (even  as  we  (aermans, 
in  the  entertaining  of  strangers,  are  wont  to  say :  Sind  mir 

[<5  teruncium,  Lat.  Dodkin,  a  small  coin,  the  eighth  pai-t  of  a 
stiver,  a  little  doit :  used  as  a  contemptuous  term  for  things  of  the 
smallest  value. — Toono's  Glossary.] 

\j  This  is  a  free  translation  of  the  original  Latin, — saccis  in- 
dormiunt.  Ruddock,  the  bird  called  the  robin  rcd-brcast :  it  is  also 
metaphorically  used  to  signify  gold  coin. — Toone's  Glossary.] 


60  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Gott  luol  kommen,  liehen  herren  und  guten  freiinde.)  And 
although  he  were  in  the  land,  where  he  dwelt,  a  man  of  high 
authority  and  very  great  name,  yet  notwithstanding  he  did, 
as  it  were,  forget  himself  and  say  :  "  Pass  not,  I  pray  thee, 
away  from  thy  servant."  He  calleth  himself  a  servant  of 
strangers.  He  goeth  on  moreover,  and  saith :  "  Let  a  little 
water  be  fetS  and  wash  your  feet,  and  refresh  yourselves 
under  the  tree.  And  I  will  fet  a  morsel  of  bread  to  comfort 
your  hearts ;  and  then  shall  ye  go  on  your  way."  In  these 
few  words  he  containeth,  in  a  manner,  all  the  points  of  civil 
courtesy.  Neither  did  Abraham  use  these  words  to  make  a 
shew  only  of  bounteous  liberality  :  but  when  he  had  by  en- 
treaty requested  them  to  stay,  and  by  their  grant  obtained 
his  desire,  he  bestirreth  his  stumps  to  accomplish  in  deeds 
the  thing  that  he  had  promised  ;  he  maketh  haste  to  Sara, 
which  was  in  the  tent,  and  saith :  "  Make  ready  at  once 
Or  pecks,  three  measures  of  fine  meal,  knead  it,  and  make  cakes."  The 
scripture  yet  addeth  further  this  clause  :  "  And  Abraham, 
running  unto  his  beasts,  caught  a  calf  tender  and  good,  and 
gave  it  to  a  young  man,  which  hasted,  and  made  it  ready  at 
once.  And  he  took  butter  and  milk,  and  the  calf  which  he 
had  prepared,  and  set  it  before  them,  and  stood  himself  with 
them ;"  that  is,  did  himself  serve  them,  as  they  ate  under 
the  tree.  This  is  wonderful  verily,  and  to  be  thought  on 
deeply.  Those  goods  were  well  and  worthily  bestowed  upon 
so  bountiful,  liberal,  and  courteous  a  man  as  Abraham  was, 
which  knew  how  to  use  his  wealth  so  honestly  and  with  so 
commendable  courtesy.  Neither  was  he  alone  in  all  his  house 
so  frank  and  liberal ;  as  his  wife  and  family  were  readily 
given  and  very  willing  to  put  that  holy  exercise  in  ure  and 
practice.  All  things  therefore  were  ready  with  a  trice.  In 
making  preparation,  also,  no  diligence  was  wanting  ;  choice 
was  made  of  all  things;  for  riffraffe  and  refuse-gear  was 
not  served  to  these  strangers,  but  the  best  and  hkehest  of 
all  that  was  found.  The  good  man  himself  taketh  pains  like 
a  servant.  He  himself  bringeth  in  his  country  fare,  which 
far  doth  excel  all  costly  catcs  and  princelike  dishes  ;  and  set- 
teth  his  guests  to  meat  with  butter  and  milk,  and  serveth 
the  last  course  with  veal,  well  fed,  and  housewife-like  dressed. 
Neither  was  he  content  with  this  courtesy  and  entertainment, 
[1  fct:  fetched.] 


II.]      THE   EIGHTH   I'UECEl'T   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.      Gl 

but  humbled  himself  further  yet,  and  waited  at  the  table, 
■while  his  guests  were  at  meat.  The  table,  lo,  was  served 
by  him,  which  had  those  great  and  ample  promises  made  him 
by  God ;  which  is  the  father  of  all  the  faithful,  which  is  the 
root  and  grandsire  of  Christ  our  Lord,  which  was  the  friend 
of  God  and  confederate  to  puissant  kings,  being  himself  the 
most  honourable  prince  in  all  the  land,  as  he  that  had  in 
war  overcome  and  vanquished  four  of  the  mightiest  kings  of 
all  the  East,  and  brought  them  back  again  to  slavery  and  bond- 
age, delivering  his  people  whom  they  had  taken  captive. 

This  excellent  and  worthy  man,  I  say,  may  well  bo  a  pat- 
tern for  all  wealthy  men  to  follow,  in  bestowing  honour,  cour- 
tesy, and  hospitality  upon  strangers  and  men  unknown.  For, 
lastly,  beside  his  rare  and  seldom  seen  hospitality,  he  shewed 
moreover  this  point  of  courtesy,  that,  when  they  rose  from 
meat,  he  bare  them  company  some  part  of  the  way.  Let 
our  wealthy  pinchpence,  therefore,  at  the  last  be  ashamed 
of,  and  leave  their  niggish  lives  and  insatiable  covetousness. 
What  pleasure,  I  pray  you,  have  they  of  their  riches  ?  to 
whom  do  they  good  ?  whom  do  they  honour  with  their  close- 
kept  coin  ?  Or  what  honour  or  honesty  doth  their  money 
procure  or  get  them,  while  they  live  among  men  ?  Why  do 
not  the  wiser  sort  of  wealthy  men  rather  leave  this  crew  of 
miserable  wretches,  and  hearken  to  the  apostle's  words,  who 
saith,  "  llemember  to  keep  hospitahty ;  for  by  that  means  [neb,  xui.  2.1 
many  have  lodged  angels  unwittingly  and  unawares  ?"  And 
verily,  he  speaketh  there  of  Lot  and  Abraham.  Neither  is 
it  to  be  doubted,  but  that  we  entertain  the  very  angels  of 
God,  and  Christ  himself,  as  often  as  we  shew  courtesy  and 
hospitality  to  good  and  godly  mortal  men. 

Lastly,  let  the  goods  of  wealthy  men  serve,  not  to  the  Goods  must 

«'  o  "  ,  serve  to 

entertainment  of  men  of  credit  only,  but  to  the  relief  also  of  "-'^'^e^c  the 

poor  and  needy  creatures.     For  that  wholesome   saying  of 

Paul  must  be  beaten  into  their  heads:  "Charge  them  that  ^IJTi■n.^i.  17 

are  rich  that  they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in  good  works, 

that  they  be  ready  to  give,  glad  to  distribute,  laying  up  in 

store  for  themselves  a  good  foundation  against  the  time  to 

come,  that  they   may  lay   hold    upon    eternal  life."      With 

this  doctrine  of  the  apostle^  doth  the  prophet  Esay  very  well 

[2  congruit  prophetica  per  omnia.    Isaias  cnim  &c.,Lat.  ;  the  doc- 
trine of  the  prophets  agrees  in  all  points.      For  Isaiah  &c.] 


62  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

risai.  xxiu.  agree,  -where  he  saith  touching  Tyre :  "  Their  occupying 
also  and  their  wares  shall  be  holy  unto  the  Lord :  their 
gains  shall  not  be  laid  up  nor  kept  in  store  ;  but  it  shall 
be  theirs  that  dwell  before  the  Lord,  that  they  may  eat 
enough,  and  have  clothing  sufficient."  Lo,  here  Esaias 
teacheth  us  the  means  to  lay  up  treasure  that  ever  shall 
endure.  Moreover,  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Matthew  the 
very  same  is  repeated  that  was  spoken  of  before.  Let  every 
one  also  call  to  his  memory  the  other  wholesome  sentences  of 
the  Lord  his  God,  to  stir  him  up  to  the  giving  of  alms.      In 

[Deut.  XV.]  Deuteronomy  Moses  saith  :  "  Beware  that  thou  harden  not 
thine  heart,  nor  shut  to  thine  hand  from  thy  needy  brother : 
but  open  thine  hand  liberally  unto  him.  Thou  shalt  give  him, 
and  let  it  not  grieve  thine  heart  to  give  unto  him :  because 
that  for  this  thing  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  enrich  and  bless 
thee  in  all  thy  works,  and  in  all  thou  puttest  thine  hand 
unto.  The  Lord ^  shall  never  be  without  poor;  and  there- 
fore I  command  thee,  saying,  Open  thine  hand  liberally  unto 
thy  brother   that  is  poor  and  needy  in  the  land."     In  the 

[Psai.  cxii.  5,  Psalms  we  find  :  "  A  good  man  is  merciful,  and  lendeth  ;  and 
guideth  his  words  with  discretion.  He  disperseth  abroad, 
and  giveth  to  the  poor :  his  righteousness  remaineth  for  ever ; 
his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honour."     Solomon  also  saith  : 

[Prov.iii.]  "  Let  mercy,  or  well-doing,  or  faithfulness  never  part  from 
thee :  bind  them  about  thy  neck,  and  write  them  in  the  tables 
of  thine  heart ;  so  shalt  thou  find  favour  and  good  estimation 
in  the  sight  of  God  and  men."  Again,  "  Honour  the  Lord 
with  thy  substance,  and  of  the  firstlings  of  all  thine  increase 
give  to  the  poor :  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plenteous- 
ness,  and  thy  presses  shall  flow  over  with  sweet  wine."    And 

[Prov.  xxi.  again,  "  Whosoever  stoppeth  his  ear  at  the  cry  of  the  poor, 
he  shall  cry  himself,  and  not  be  heard."  With  these  in  all 
points  do  the  sayings  of  the  apostles  and  evangelists  plainly 

[Matt.  V.  42.]  agree.      "  Give  to  every  one  that  asketh  of  thee."     Again  : 

[Matt.  XXV.  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  inasmuch  as  ye  have  shewed  mercy 
to  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  shewed  it  to  me." 
Which  sentence  surely  is  worthy  to  be  noted,  and  deeply 
printed  in  the  hearts  of  all  Christians.  For  if  the  Lord 
Jesus  rcputeth  that  to  be  bestowed  on  himself,  which  thou 
bestowcst  on  the  poor ;  then  undoubtedly  he  thinkcth  himself 
[1  A  misprint  in  all  tlio  editions  for  "  the  land."] 


II.]   THE  EIGHTH  PRECEPT  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  G3 

neglected  and  despised  of  thee,  so  often  as  thou  neglectest 
or  despisest  the  needj.  This  is  undoubtedly  true  and  most 
surely  certain :  for  the  Lord  and  Judge  of  all  people  as- 
sureth  us  by  promise,  that  at  the  end  of  the  world,  in  that 
last  judgment,  he  will  give  sentence  in  this  manner  and  order: 
"  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  possess  the  kingdom,  &c. 
For  I  was  hungry,  and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was  thirsty,  and 
ye  gave  me  drink :"  and  so  forward,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
twenty-fifth  chapter  of  St  Matthew's  Gospel.  Hereunto  also 
belongeth  the  words  of  St  John  the  apostle,  where  he  saith : 
"Whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  ^i  John  iii. 
need,  and  shutteth  up  his  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth 
the  love  of  God  in  him?"  And  from  hence,  undoubtedly, 
did  first  arise  the  common  voice  of  them  of  old,  which  were 
wont  to  say  :  "  If  thou  seest  a  needy  body  die  with  hunger, 
and  dost  not  help  him,  while  thou  mayest,  thou  hast  killed 
him,  and  given  consent  unto  his  death-."  Let  him  there- 
fore, which  hath  store  of  earthly  goods,  know  for  a  surety, 
and  in  his  heart  be  throughly  persuaded,  that  he  is  bound 
especially  to  do  good  to  the  needy. 

Moreover  let  him  that  is  wealthy  do  good  to  all  men,  so  lowhom  we 
near  as  he  can.  •  For  the  Lord  saith:  "Give  to  every  one  that  good, 
asketh  of  thee."  And  Tobias  giveth  his  son  this  lesson,  saying : 
"Turn  not  thy  face  from  any  poor  man^."  But  if  thou  canst 
not,  through  lack  of  ability,  do  good  to  all  men,  then  succour 
them  chiefly  whom  thou  perceivest  to  be  godly-disposed,  and 
yet  pinched  with  penury  :  for  St  Paul  saith,  "Let  us  do  good  [Qai.  vi.  lo.] 
to  all  men,  but  to  them  especially  that  are  of  the  household 
of  faith."  Let  us  therefore  aid,  succour,  and  relieve  father- 
less children  and  poor  widows,  old  men  and  impotent  people, 
those  that  are  afflicted  and  persecuted  for  the  profession  of  the 
truth,  and  such  as  are  oppressed  with  any  misery  and  calamity. 
Let  us  further  and  help  forward  good  and  holy  learning,  and 
all  the  worshippers  and  true  ministers  of  God  that  live  in 
want  and  scarcity.  Finally,  let  us  relieve  strangers,  and 
whomsoever  else  we  may. 

[2  See  Bingham,  Antiq.  of  Christ.  Church,  Book  xvi,  chap.  10. 
sect.  15.] 

[3  Tobit  iv.  7.  This  lesson  is  given  by  Tobit  to  his  son,  Tobias, 
according  to  the  authorised  Version ;  but  in  the  Vulgate  the  names 
of  the  father  and  sou  are  alike  Tobias ;  as  also  in  the  earlier  Englisli 
translation  of  the  Eiblc.] 


64  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

How  we  Now  our  duty  is  to  aid,  and  stand  them  in  stead,  with 

good."°'^°    counsel,  comfort,  help,  money,  meat,  drink,  lodging,  raiment, 

commendations,  and  with  all  things  else  wherein  Ave  perceive 

that   they  lack   our  helping  hand :   touching  which  I  spake 

somewhat  in  the  tenth  sermon  of  the  first  Decade  ^    AYe  must 

also  succour  them  readily,  with  a  willing  heart  and  a  cheerful 

[2Cor. ix  7.]  mind  :    "for  God  requireth  a  cheerful  giver."     And  in  help- 

Howfarwe  ino;  them  let  us  do  liberally  :   for  Tobias  saith,  "  Be  merciful 

must  do  ® 

good.  after  thy  power  ^;  If  thou  have  much,  give  plenteously ;  if  thou 

have  little,  do  thy  diligence  gladly  to  give  of  that  little.    For 
in  so  doing  the  Lord  shall  bless  both  thee  and  thine." 

Thus  much,  my  brethren,  have  I  hitherto  said  touching 
the  lawful  use  of  earthly  goods.  God  grant  that  every  one 
of  you  may  print  these  sayings  in  his  heart,  and  put  in  prac- 
tice this  holy  work.  Let  us  pray  to  the  Lord  that  he  will 
vouchsafe  so  to  direct  us  in  his  ways,  that  for  the  getting  of 
those  transitory  goods  we  lose  not  the  everlasting  treasure 
of  his  heavenly  kingdom. 


OF   THE   PATIENT   BEARING   AND   ABIDING    OF   SUNDRY 

CALAMITIES  AND  MISERIES:  AND  ALSO  OF  THE 

HOPE  AND  MANIFOLD  CONSOLATION  OF 

THE   FAITHFUL. 

THE  TIimD  SERMON. 

I  SHALL  not  do  amiss,  I  think,  my  reverend^  brethren,  if 
to  the  treatise  which  I  have  already  made  of  earthly  riches, 
and  of  the  use  and  abuse  of  the  same,  I  do  here  also  add  a 
discourse  of  the  divers  calamities,  wherewith  man,  so  long  as 
he  liveth  in  this  frail  flesh,  is  continually  vexed  and  daily 
afilicted.  For  since  that  many  men  do  either  lose  their 
temporal  goods,  or  else  can  by  no  means  get  them,  which  are 
the  causes  why  they  be  oppressed  with  penury  and  nccdiness ; 
it  cannot  be  but  profitable  and  very  necessary  too  for  every 
good  man  to  know  out  of  the  word  of  God  the  very  reason 

[1  Vol.  I.  p.  188.] 

[2  quomodo  potucris,  ita  esto  miscricors,  Lat.  and  Vulgato.  This 
sentence,  however,  is  omitted  in  tlie  authorised  Version,  though  re- 
tained in  the  service  of  the  Offertory  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  given  in  Covcrdalo's  Bible,  1535.] 

[3  fratres  houoraudi,  Lat,] 


II.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       05 

and  ground  of  his  consolation  in  his  miseries ;  lest,  being  swal- 
lowed up  of  too  great  sorrow,  and  entangled  in  utter  despera- 
tion, he  give  himself  over  to  be  Satan's  bond-slave.  Now  this 
treatise  serveth  for  the  whole  life  of  man.  For  I  mean  not  to 
speak  of  any  one  calamity  alone,  as  of  poverty,  or  penury, 
but  generally  of  all  the  miseries  that  happen  to  man.  Verily, 
since  man  is  born  to  grief  and  misery,  as  birds  to  flying^  and 
fishes  to  swimming  ;  his  life  can  never  possibly  be  either  sweet 
or  quiet,  unless  he  know  the  manner  and  reason  of  his  calamity. 
And  if  so  be  he  know  the  reason  thereof,  religiously  taken  and 
derived  out  of  the  word  of  God ;  then  his  life  cannot  choose 
but  be  sweet'  and  quiet,  howsoever  otherwise  it  seem  to  be 
most  bitter  and  intolerable.  The  mind  of  man,  verily,  is 
sorely  afflicted  and  grievously  tormented  with  lamentable 
miseries ;  but  the  same,  on  the  other  side,  is  sweetly  eased 
and  mightily  upholden  by  the  true  knowledge  of  those  mise- 
ries, and  holy  consolations,  derived  and  taken  out  of  the  word 
of  God. 

First  of  all,  it  is  requisite  to  lay  before  our  eyes  and  The  kinds  of 
reckon  up  the  several  kinds  and  especial  sorts  of  mortal 
men's  calamities.  The  evils  verily  are  innumerable,  which 
daily  fall  upon  our  necks ;  but  those  which  do  most  usually 
happen  are  the  plague  or  pestilence,  sundry  and  infinite  dis- 
eases, death  itself,  and  the  fear  of  death,  whose  terror  to  some 
is  far  more  grievous  than  death  can  be.  To  these  be  added 
the  death  and  destruction  of  most  notable  men,  or  such  of 
whom  we  make  most  account;  robberies,  oppressions,  endless 
ill  chances,  poverty,  beggary,  lack  of  friends,  infamy,  banish- 
ment, persecution,  imprisonment,  enforced  torments,  and 
exquisite  punishments  of  sundry  sorts  and  terrible  to  think 
on,  unseasonable  and  tempestuous  weather,  barrenness,  dearth, 
frost,  hail,  deluges,  earthquakes,  the  sinking  of  cities,  the 
spoihng  of  fields,  the  burning  of  houses,  the  ruin  of  buildings, 
hatred,  factions,  privy  grudges,  treasons,  rebellions,  wars, 
slaughters,  captivity,  cruelty  of  enemies,  and  tyranny ;  also 
the  lack  of  children  ;  or  troubles,  cares,  and  hellish  lives  ^  by 
the  matching  of  unmeet  mates  in  wedlock,  by  children  naugh- 

[1  Job  V.  7:  hotiio  nascitur  ad  laborcm,  ct  avis  ad  volatum. — 
Vulgate.  "  Man  is  borne  unto  mysery,  lil^e  as  the  byrde  for  to  lie." — 
Coverdale's  Bible,  1535.] 

[5  misciia",  Lat.   without  any  epithet.] 

[bulling EK,   II. J 


66  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

tilj  disposed,  maliciously  bent,  disobedient  and  unthankful  to 
father  and  mother ;  and  lastly,  care  and  continual  grief  in 
sundry  sorts  for  sundry  things,  which  never  cease  to  vex  our 
minds.  For  no  man  can  in  never  so  long  a  bead-row^  reckon 
up  all  the  evils  whereunto  miserable  mankind  is  woefully  en- 
dangered, and  every  moment  tormented.  New  miseries  rise 
up  every  day,  of  which  our  elders  did  never  hear ;  and  they 
are  appointed  to  be  felt  and  suffered  of  us,  who  with  our  new 
and  never  heard  of  sins  do  daily  deserve  new  and  never  seen 
punishments,  when  as  otherwise  the  miseries,  which  our  fore- 
fathers felt,  had  been  enough  and  sufficient  to  have  plagued 
us  all. 
The  good  But  now  with  these  evils,  as  well  the  good  and  godly 

and  evil  are  '  O  &         J 


calamities. 


are  troubled  and  put  in  ure:  yea,  the  saints  are  through  all^ 
their  life  time  afflicted  and  vexed,  when  as  contrarily  the 
wicked  abound  with  all  kinds  of  joy  and  delightful  pleasures: 
whereupon  it  cometh,  that  great  temptations  and  complaints 
arise  in  the  minds  of  the  godly.  The  wicked  do  gather  by 
their  happy  state  and  pleasant  life,  that  God  doth  like  their 
religion,  and  accept  their  manner  of  dealing,  whereby  they 
are  confirmed  and  grounded  in  their  errors.  And  on  the 
other  side  the  godly,  by  reason  of  the  miseries  which  they 
have  long  suffered,  do  revolt  from  godliness,  and  turn  to  the 
ungodly,  because  they  think  that  the  state  of  the  wicked  is 
far  better  than  theirs.  Now  it  is  good  to  know,  and  severally 
to  learn,  all  this  out  of  the  scriptures.  That  the  godly  are 
and  have  been  afflicted,  as  well  as  the  wicked,  since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world,  it  is  manifest  to  be  seen  in  the  example 
of  Abel  and  Cain :  for,  as  the  one  was  pitifully  slain  of  the 
other  for  his  sincere  worshipping  of  God,  so  was  the  other  for 
the  murder  made  a  vagabond,  not  daring  for  fear  to  abide  in 
any  place  to  take  his  rest  in.  Jacob,  surnamed  Israel,  is  read 
to  have  been  vexed  with  many  calamities.  The  same  is 
reported  also  of  the  Egyptians,  while  they  persecuted  the 
Israelites.  Saul  was  vexed,  and  David  afflicted.  The  Lord 
our  Saviour,  with  his  disciples,  bare  the  cross  of  grief  and 
trouble :  again,  on  the  other  side,  the  Jews,  who  cruelly 
persecuted  Christ  and  his  disciples,  were  horribly  destroyed, 

[1   catalogo,  Lat.] 

[^  omnem  jivopo,  Lat. ;  almost  all.] 


III.]    THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       G7 

and  that  worthily  too,  for  their  villainous  injury.    Unspeakable 
are  the  evils  which  the  church  of  Christ  did  suffer  in  those  ten 
most  bloody  persecutions^  before  the  reign  of  Constantine  the 
great :  but  Orosius,  the  notable,  diligent,  and  faithful  historio- 
grapher, maketli  mention,  that  due  and  deserved  punishments 
were  out  of  hand  laid  upon  the  necks  of  those  persecuting 
tyrants;  of  whom  I  will  speak  somewhat  in  place  convenient*. 
And  by  the  testimonies  both  of  God  and  man,  and  also  by 
manifold  experience,  we  see  it  proved,  that  as  well  the  godly 
as  ungodly  are  touched  with  miseries.     Yea  truly,  the  best  me  podiy 
and  holiest  men  for  the  most  part  are  troubled  and  afflicted,  when  tife'^ 
when  the  wicked  and  worser  sort  are  free  from  calamities,  iq  pleasures, 
leading  their  lives  in  ease  and  pleasures.     And  while  the  good 
do  suffer  persecution  and  injuries,  the  wicked  rejoice  thereat. 
For  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  saith  to  his  disciples :  "  Verily ,  fJohn  xvi. 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  ye  shall  weep  and  lament,  the  world 
shall  be  glad ;  but  ye  shall  be  sorrowful." 

But  now,  what  kind  of  temptations  those  be,  which  arise 
in  the  hearts  of  the  godly  through  their  tribulations;  and  what 
those  men,  which  are  not  altogether  godless  nor  the  enemies 
of  God,  do  gather  of  the  felicity  wherein  the  wicked  are,  the 
scripture  in  many  places  teacheth  us,  and  especially  in  that 
wonderful  discourse  of  Job  and  his  friends.  The  prophet 
Abacuch  complaineth,  and  saith:  "O  Lord,  how  long  shall  Inabak.i. 
cry,  and  thou  not  hear?  how  long  shall  I  cry  out  to  thee  for 
the  violence  that  I  suffer,  and  thou  not  help?  why  am  I  com- 
pelled to  see  iniquity,  spoiling,  and  unrighteousness  against 
me?  why  dost  thou  regard  them  that  despise  thee,  and  boldest 

[3  The  persecutions  of  the  Christians  by  the  Romans  have,  for 
many  ages,  been  accounted  ten  in  number.  But  the  ancient  liistory  of 
the  Church  does  not  support  precisely  this  number. — Some  Christians 
of  the  fifth  century  were  led  into  a  belief  by  certain  passages  of 
scripture,  especially  by  one  in  the  Apocalypse,  that  the  Christian  body 
was  fated  to  undergo  ten  calamities  of  the  heavier  kind ;  to  which 
opinion  they  then  accommodated  history,  though  against  her  will,  not, 
however,  all  in  the  same  way. — Mosheim  Eccles.  Hist,  cent  i.  Book  1. 
part  i.  chap.  5.  §4.  ed.  Soames,  and  note  in  loc] 

[*  See  p.  109,  &c.  Orosius  frequently  notices  these  punishments  in 
the  7th  book  of  his  Ilistor.  adv.  paganos ;  and  the  title  of  the  27th 
chapter  of  the  same  book  is,  "  CoUatio  populi  Israelitici  ct  Christiani, 
.iEgyptiaci  item  ct  Romani,  quomodo  illi  pro  Deo  in  adflictionibus,  hi 
a  Deo  in  plagis,  similia  fere  passi  sunt."] 

6—2 


68  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

thj  tongue  while  the  wicked  treadeth  down  the  man  that  is 
more  righteous  than  himself?  The  wicked  doth  circumvent 
the  righteous;  and  therefore  wrong  judgment  proceedeth."  In 
Malachi  the  hypocrites  do  cry:  "It  is  but  vain  to  serve  God : 
and  what  profit  is  it  that  we  have  kept  his  commandments, 
and  that  we  have  walked  humbly  before  the  face  of  the  Lord'  ? 
Now  therefore  we  call  the  proud  and  arrogant  blessed  and 
happy :  for  the  workers  of  wickedness  live  happily  and  are  set 
up ;  and  they  tempt  God,  go  on  in  their  wickedness,  and  are 
delivered 2."  The  holy  prophet  Asaph  containeth  all  this  most 
fully  and  significantly  in  the  Psalm,  where  he  saith:  "My  feet 
were  almost  gone,  ray  treadings  had  well  nigh  slipped  ;  for  1  was 
grieved  at  the  wicked,  when  I  did  see  the  ungodly  in  such 
prosperity.  For  they  are  in  no  peril  of  death  ^;  they  are,  I 
say,  troubled  with  no  diseases,  whereby  they  are  drawn,  as  it 
were,  to  death,  but  are  lusty  and  strong.  They  come  into  no 
misfortune  like  other  men;  but  are  free  from  the  evils  where- 
with other  folk  are  plagued :  and  this  is  the  cause  that  they  are 
so  holden  with  pride,  and  wrapped  in  violence  as  in  a  garment. 
Their  eyes  swell  with  fatness,  and  they  do  even  what  they 
lust^  They  stretch  forth  their  mouth  unto  heaven,  and  their 
tongue  goeth  through  the  world  :  yea,  and  they  dare  to  say, 
Tush,  how  should  God  perceive  it^?  Lo,  these  are  the  ungodly, 
these  prosper  in  the  world,  and  these  have  riches  in  possession. 
Then,  said  I,  have  I  cleansed  my  heart  in  vain,  and  washed 
mine  hands  in  innocency:  and  I  bear  punishment  every  day. 
And  while  I  thought  thus  to  myself,  I  had  almost  departed 
from  the  generation  of  God's  children." 

Now  since  this  is  so,  it  followeth  consequently  to  beat 
out^  the  causes  of  these  calamities :  for  in  so  doing  we  shall 

[}  coram  Deo  exei'cituum,  Lat. ;  God  of  hosts.] 

[2  qui  Deura  tentant,  Lat.;  "for  they  tempte  God,  and  yet  escape." 
Coverdale's  Bible,  1535.] 

[3  neque  eniin  sunt  illis  nexus  ad  mortem,  Lat. ;  (eo  quod  non  tra- 

hantur  ad  mortem  quasi  captivi Calvin,  Comment,  in  loc.);  for  there 

are  no  bands  in  their  death. — Auth.  Vers.] 

[•*  dum  eis  videlicet  pro  voto  omnia  succedunt,  Lat.  ;  omitted, — • 
while,  that  is,  all  things  go  according  to  their  desire.] 

[5  quomodo  cognoscerct  omnia  Deus  ?  estne  cognitio  apud  Altissi- 
mum  ?  Lat. ;  How  should  God  know  all  things  ?  is  there  knowledge  iu 
the  most  High  ?J 

[c  ut  diligcntissime  excutiamus,  Lat.] 


III.]     THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       C9 

be  the  better  able  to  judge  rightly  of  the  miseries  both  of  the 
godly  and  wicked  sort  of  people.  The  causes  of  calamities 
are  many,  and  of  many  sorts :  but  the  general  and  especial 
cause  is  known  to  be  sin.  For  by  disobedience  sin  entered 
into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin ;  and  so,  consequently,  dis- 
eases, and  all  evils  in  the  world.  They  are  very  light-headed 
and  vain  fellows,  that  refer  these  causes  to  I  cannot  tell  what, 
blind  constellations,  and  movings  of  planets.  For^  we  by  our 
evil  lusts  and  corrupt  affections  do  heap  up  day  by  day  one 
evil  on  another's  neck.  And  at  our  elbows  standeth  the  devil, 
who  roundeth^  us  in  the  ears,  and  eo-creth  us  forwards :  and, 
as  helps  to  spur  us  on,  there  are  a  crew  of  naughty  packs  ^, 
that  never  cease  to  train  us  in.  And  daily  there  do  rise  up 
divers  instruments  of  tribulation,  wherewith  the  most  wise  and 
just  God  doth  suffer  us  men  to  be  exercised  and  tormented. 

But  the  same  causes  of  affliction  are  not  always  found  to  The  cause 
be  in  the  holy  worshippers  of  God,  as  are  in  the  wicked  saints  are 
despisers   of  his  name.     The  saints  are  often   afflicted,  that 
by  their  trouble  the  glory  of  God  may  be  known  to  the 
world.      For  when  the  disciples  of  Christ  did  see  the  blind 
man  in  the  gospel,  which  was  blind  from  his  mother's  womb, 
they   said   to   the  Lord :    "  JNIaster,    who   sinned,   this   man,  [Joim  ix.  2, 
or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind  ?     Jesus  answered, 
j^either  did  this  man  sin,  nor  his  parents ;  but  that  the  works 
of  God  might  be  made  manifest  in  him."    Likewise,  when  the 
Lord  heard  say  that  Lazarus  was  sick,   "This  disease  (saithjohnxt 
he)  is  not  to  death,  but  to  the  glory  of  God,  that  by  it  the 
Son  of  God  may  be  glorified."      And  yet,  if  we  touch  this 
matter  to  the  quick,  there  can  none  in  the  world  be  found 
without  sin  ;   so  that,  if  the  Lord  will  mark  our  iniquities,  he 
shall  always  find  somewhat  to  be  punished  in  us :  as  it  is  at 
large  declared  in  the  book  of  Job. 

Furthermore,  the  Lord  doth  suffer  his  spouse,  the  church,  wearede- 
which  he  loveth  full  dearly,  to  be  troubled  and  afilicted  to  the^oodLss 
this  end  and  purpose;   that  he  may  openly  declare,  that  the  not  by  our' 
elect  are  defended,  preserved,  and  delivered  by  the  power  and  or  ability, 
aid  of  God,  and  not  by  the  policy  or  help  of- man.     For  Paul 

['  ceterum,  Lat. ;  but.] 

[8  to  round,  Johnson ;  to  roun,  Toone :    to  whisper  or  speak  in 
secrecy.] 

p  pack,  a  loose  or  lewd  person. — Johnson's  Diet.] 


70  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

saith :  "  We  have  this  treasure  In  earthen  vessels,  that  the 
excellency  of  the  power  may  be  God's,  and  not  of  us  :  while 
■we  are  troubled  on  every  side,  but  not  made  sorrowful ;  we 
are  in  poverty,  but  not  in  extreme  poverty  ;  we  suffer  perse- 
cution, but  are  not  forsaken  therein ;  we  are  cast  down,  but 
we  perish  not ;  we  always  bear  about  in  the  body  the  dying 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  of  Jesus  might  also  be  made 
manifest  in  our  body.  For  we  which  live  are  always  delivered 
unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might 
be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal  flesh  ^"  Also  the  same 
apostle  saith  :  "Virtue  is  made  perfect  in  infirmity  2." 
Afflictions  Again,  as  the  afflictions  of  the  holy  martyrs  and  faithful 

moniesof     saiuts  of  Christ  are  testimonies  of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  as  our 

tne  doctrine  ' 

[Mat"x.  17,  Saviour  in  the  gospel  saith,   "  They  shall  deliver  you  up  to 
^^•3  councils,   and   in  their  synagogues  they  shall  scourge   you ; 

yea,  ye  shall  be  brought  before  kings  and  rulers  for  my  sake, 
that  this  might  be  for  a  witness  to  them  and  the  people:" 
even  so,  in  like  manner,  are  the  saints,  overladen  with 
miseries,  made  examples  for  us  to  learn  by  how  to  overcome 
and  despise^  the  world,  and  to  aspire  to  heavenly  things. 
We  are  tried  Finally,  the  Lord  doth  try  those  that  be  his  bv  laviner 

by  afflictions.  ,,  ''  ,,      ,  ,  "^   ,  ,        ,  ,.,  ,,     .° 

the  cross  upon  then'  necks,  and  purgeth  them  like  gold  m 
the  fire :  he  cutteth  from  us  many  occasions  of  evil,  that  he 
may  bring  us  to  the  bearing  of  greater  and  more  plentiful 
fruit.  The  wisdom  of  the  Lord  doth  therein  follow  the 
manner  of  goldsmiths,  who  put  their  gold  into  the  fire  to 
purge,  and  not  to  mar  it :  and  he  imitateth  also  good  hus- 
bandmen, who,  when  their  corn  is  somewhat  too  rank,  do 
mow  it  down  ;  and  prune  their  trees,  not  to  destroy,  but  to 
make  them  bear  more  abundant  fruit.  And  this  flesh  of  ours, 
verily,  in  peace  and  quietness  is  luskish*,  lazy,  drowsy,  and 
slow  to  good  and  honest  exercises ;  it  is  content,  and  seeketh 
no  further  than  earthly  things;  it  is  wholly  given  to  pleasures ; 
it  doth  utterly  forget  God  and  godly  things :  now  therefore 
it  is  not  expedient  only,  but  also  very  necessary,  to  have  this 
dull  and  sluggish  lump  stirred  up  and  exercised  with  troubles, 
afflictions,  and  sharp  persecutions.     The  saints  herein  are  like 

[1  2  Cor.  iv.  7 — 11.  Bullingerhas  adopted  the  translation  of  Erasmus.] 
[2  2  Cor.  xii.  9.    This  is  tho  Vulgate,  and  not  Erasmus',  version.] 
[3  calcare,  Lat. ;  to  tread  under  foot.] 
[■*  luskish,  somewhat  inclinable  to  laziness  or  indolence. — Johnson.] 


III.]  THE  EIGHTH  niECErr  of  the  ten  commandments.     71 

to  Iron,  which  by  use  is  somewhat  worn  and  diminished,  hut 
by  lying  still  unoccupied  is  eaten  more  with  rust  and  canker. 
Most  truly  therefore  said  St  Peter:  "Dearly  beloved,  think  i  pet.  iv. 
it  not  strange,  that  ye  are  tried  with  fire,  which  thing  is 
to  try  you,  as  though  some  strange  thing  happened  unto  you  : 
but  rejoice  rather,  in  that  ye  are  partakers  of  the  afflictions 
of  Christ ;  that,  when  his  glory  is  revealed,  ye  may  be  merry 
and  glad^"  For  Paul  to  Timothy  saith  :  "  Remember  thatsxim. ». 
Jesus  Christ  of  the  seed  of  David  was  raised  from  the  dead 
according  to  my  gospel ;  for  which  I  am  afflicted,  as  an  evil 
doer,  even  unto  bonds :  and  yet  I  suffer  all  things  for  the 
elect's  sakes,  that  they  might  also  obtain  the  salvation 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  with  eternal  glory.  It  is  a  faithful 
saying :  For  if  we  be  dead  with  him,  we  shall  also  live  with 
him :  if  we  be  patient^,  we  shall  reign  with  him  :  if  we  deny 
him,  he  shall  also  deny  us''."  For  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Romans  he  saith  :  "  Those  which  he  knew  before  he  did  Rom.  vui 
also  predestinate,  that  they  should  be  like-fashioned  unto  the 
shape  of^  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-begotten 
among  many  brethren.  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predes- 
tinate, them  also  he  called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  also 
he  justified ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  also  shall  he 
glorify^."  Again,  in  the  same  epistle  he  saith:  "  We  rejoice  Eom.  v. 
also  in  tribulations;  knowing  that  tribulation  worketh  patience  ; 
patience  proof;  proof  hope  :  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed'**, 
&c."  This  do  the  private  examples  of  the  saints,  and  public 
examples  of  the  whole  church,  very  plainly  declare.  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  had  never  known  that  God's  helping  hand 
had  been  so  faithful  and  always  present  with  them ;  they  had 
never  been  grounded  in  so  sure  hope,  nor  shewed  such  especial 
fruit  of  their  excellent  patience ;  if  they  had  not  been  exer- 
cised with  many  perils,  and,  as  it  were,  oppressed  with  infinite 
calamities.  Whereupon  it  comcth,  that  David  cried  :  "  It  is 
good  for  me,  Lord,  that  thou  hast  troubled  me."  The  church  psai.  cxi; 
of  Israel  was  oppressed  in  Egypt;    but  to  the  end  that  it 

[5  1  Pet.  iv.  12,  13;  Erasmus'  translation.] 

[6  So  Tyndale's  and  Cranmer's  translations.] 

[■^  Erasmus'  ti'anslation  chiefly.] 

[8  So  Tyndale's  and  Cranmer's  translations.] 

p  glorificabit,  Lat. ;  the  "Versions  have  glorificavit.] 

[10  Erasmus'  translation.] 


72  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

might  with  the  more  glory  be  dehvered,  and  pass  into  the 
land  of  promise.  The  Jewish  church  was  afflicted  by  them  of 
Babylon  and  the  Assyrians,  so  that  their  temple  was  over- 
thrown, and  the  saints  carried  captive  with  the  worst  of  the 
people.  But  the  godly  sort  in  their  very  captivity  do  feel 
the  wonderful  help  of  God,  and  by  that  means  are  made  the 
better  ^  by  their  afflictions ;  so  that  the  name  of  the  Lord  was 
known^  among  the  Assyrians,  the  Chaldees,  the  JNIedes  and 
Persians,  to  his  great  glory  and  renown,  as  it  is  at  large 
declared  in  the  histories  of  Daniel,  Hester,  and  Esdras^ 
Certain  pun-  Here  also  is  to  be  noted,  that  certain  punishments  are 
appointed  as  appomtcd  of  the  Lord  as  plag-ues  for  certain  sms :  so  that 

plagues  to  -^  '^  r      o  ' 

certain  sins,  most  commonly  a  man  is  plagued  by  the  very  same  things 
wherein  he  sinned  against  the  Lord.  David  offended  God 
with  murder  and  adultery  ;  and  therefore  is  he  punished  with 
the  shame  of  his  own  house,  with  whoredom,  incest,  and 
detestable  murder  of  his  own  children  ;  and  lastly,  driven  out 
and  banished  his  kingdom.  It  was  pride  and  arrogance, 
wherein  Nabuchodonosor  sinned ;  and  therefore,  being  distract 
of  his  wits  and  turned  into  a  beastly  madness,  he  led  his  life 
for  a  certain  time^  with  beasts  of  the  field.  But  as  Nabuchodo- 
nosor was,  when  God  thought  good,  restored  to  his  kingdom  ; 
so  David  did  in  time  convenient  feel  the  mercy  of  the  Lord 
in  settling  him  in  his  seat  again.  For  this  saying  of  the  Lord 
is  firmly  ratified  for  ever,  not  only  to  David,  but  to  every  one 
that  believeth,  which  is  in  these  words  set  down  in  the  scrip- 

jp^ai-  tures :   "If  his   children  forsake  my  law,  and  keep  not  my 

3*J  commandments,  I  will  visit  their  sins  with  rods,  and  their 

iniquities  with  scourges :  yet  will  I  not  utterly  take  my  good- 
ness from  him ;  I  will  not  break  my  covenant,  neither  will  I 
change  the  thing  that  is  once  gone  out  of  my  mouth."  There- 
fore it  is  to  our  profit  that  the  Lord  afflictcth  us  ;  as  he  himself 
testifieth  in  the  revelation  of  Christ ^  uttered''  by  John  the 

Rev.  iii.       apostle  and  evangelist,  saying :  "  Them  which  I  love  I  rebuke 

[1  puriores  fiunt,  Lat.] 

[2  quam  latissime,  Lat. ;  to  the  widest  extent.] 
[3  Ezra  and  Nchemiah.     See  Sixth  Art.  of  Religion;  "First  Book 
of  Esdras,  Second  Book  of  Esdras."      So  also  Vulgate.] 
[4  dostinato  tempore,  Lat.] 

[5  in  thcologia  sua,  Lat.     See  Vol.  r.  p.  170.  n.  C] 
[6  edita,  Lat. ;  put  forth,  published.] 


III.]     THE  EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       73 

and  chasten."    And  Salomon,  long  before  that,  did  say  :  "My  rmv.  ni. 
son,  refuse  not  the  chastening  of  the  Lord,  neither  faint  when 
thou  art  corrected  of  him.    For  whom  the  Lord  loveth,  him  he 
chasteneth  ;  and  yet  dehghteth  in  him,  as  a  father  in  his  son"." 

Now,  touchins:  the  persecutions  and  terrible  plafrucs  laid  sin  is  the 

o  I  in  cause  of 

upon  the  neck  of  the  whole  church  of  God,  or  several  martyrs  'ers^e"tTon» 
of  the  same ;  as  they  were,  for  the  most  part,  breathed  out  of 
worldly  tyrants  against  the  saints  for  their  open  confession 
and  testimonies  of  their  faith,  and  truth  of  the  gospel,  so  most 
commonly  the  causes  of  those  broils  were  the  sins  and  offences 
of  the  saints,  which  the  justice  of  God  did  visit  in  his  holy 
ones,  no  doubt  to  the  good  and  salvation  of  the  faithful. 
For  of  that  bloody  persecution  under  the  emperors  Diocletian 
and  jNIaximinian,  which  caused  many  thousands,  yea,  many 
millions,  of  martyrs  to  come  to  their  endings,  we  read  this 
following  in  the  history  of  Eusebius  of  Cesaria,  who  learned 
it,  not  by  hear-say,  but  was  himself  an  eye-witness  of  the 
same :  "  When  as  by  too  much  liberty  and  wantonness  the 
manners  of  the  church  were  utterly  marred,  and  the  discipline 
thereof  corrupted  ;  while  among  ourselves  we  envy  one 
another,  and  diminish  one  another's  estimation ;  while  among 
ourselves  we  snatch  at  and  accuse  ourselves,  moving  deadly 
war  among  ourselves ;  while  dissimulation  sitteth  in  the  face, 
deceit  lurketh  in  the  heart,  and  falsehood  is  uttered  in  words, 
so  that  one  evil  is  heaped  still  on  another's  neck ;  the  Lord 
beginneth  by  little  and  little,  and  with  the  bridle  to  check  the 
mouth  of  his  tripping  church,  and,  reserving  the  congregations 
untouched,  he  beginneth  first  to  suffer  them  to  feel  persecu- 
tion which  served  as  soldiers  in  the  camps  of  the  Gentiles. 
But  when  as  by  that  means  the  people  could  not  be  made  to 
remember  themselves,  insomuch  that  they  ceased  not  to 
persist  in  their  wickedness,  and  that  the  very  guides  of  the 
people  and  chief  of  the  church,  unmindful  of  God's  command- 
ment, were  set  on  fire  among  themselves  with  strife,  envy, 
hatred,  and  pride,  so  that  they  might  think  they  rather  exer- 
cised tyranny  than  the  office  of  ministers,  because  they  had 
forgotten  christian  sincerity  and  pureness  of  living ;  then  at 
length  the  houses  of  prayer  and  churches  of  the  living  God 

[7  Prov.  iii.  11, 12  ;  et  tanquam  pater  in  filio  delectatur,  Lat. ;  "and 
yet  delytcth  in  him  even  as  a  father  in  his  owne  sonne." — Coverdale's 
translation,  1535.] 


74  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

were  thrown  to  the  ground,  and  the  holy  scriptures  set  on 
fire  in  the  broad  and  open  streets ^"     Thus  much,  word  for 
word,  out  of  the  eighth  book  of  his  ecclesiastical  history. 
What  kind  And  yet  here  I  make  difference  betwixt  sin  and  sin.    For 

saints- sins  the  saiuts  siu,  but  yet  they  abstain  commonly  from  heinous 
crimes ;  although  now  and  then  too  they  fall  into  them,  as  it 
is  evident  by  the  example  of  David  :  but  yet,  for  the  most 
part,  they  fly  from  theft,  murder,  whoredom,  and  other 
grievous 2  sins  like  unto  these.  And  while  the  saints  are 
afflicted  by  tyrants,  it  is  not  for  the  neglecting  of  justice  and 
true  religion ;  but  for  the  contemning  of  superstition,  and 
stedfast  sticking  to  Christ  and  his  gospel.  The  Lord  there- 
fore doth  forgive,  and  in  the  blood  of  Christ  wash  away,  the 
sins  of  the  holy  martyrs,  reputing  them  to  suffer  death  not 
for  the  sins  which  they  have  committed,  but  for  the  zeal  and 
love  of  true  religion.  He  also  punisheth  the  tyrants  for  the 
death  of  his  martyrs  ;  because,  in  putting  them  to  death,  they 
follow  their  own  tyrannous  affection,  and  not  the  just  judg- 
ment of  the  living  God.  The  Lord's  mind,  verily,  was  by 
tyrants  to  chasten  his  people  Israel :  but  the  tyrants  (as  Esay 
in  his  tenth  chapter  witnesseth)  did  not  take  it  to  be  so ;  but 
rather,  following  their  own  affections,  they  passed  all  measure 
in  afflicting  them,  and  never  sought  after  justice  and  equity  : 
they   therefore   are   punished   of   the   Lord   for   killing   his 

■  [1  Bullingor  has  followed  tlie  Latin  translation  of  Eusebiiis :  Ubi 
ex  multa  libertate  multaque  indulgentia  vitiati  sunt  mores,  et  disciplina 
corrupta  est,  dum  alter  alteri  invidemus,  et  alter  alteri  derogamus; 
dumque  nos  invicem  mordemus  etincusamus,  et  adversum  nosmetipsos 
intestina  proelia  commovernus ;  dum  simulatio  in  vultu,  dolus  in 
corde,  fallacia  profertur  in  verbis,  et  malorum  per  singula  cumulus 
intumescit ;  aggreditur  (Dominus)  primo  sensira  refrcenare  lapsantes, 
congregationibusquo  manentibus,  indulget  interim  eos,  qui  erant  iu 
militia  tantum  gentilium,  persccutionc  pulsari.  Sed  cum  nullus  ex 
hoc  dementia)  ejus  intellectus  populis  rcdderetur,  et  pcrsisterent  in 
malis  suis,  atque  ipsi  qui  duces  populi  videbantur  et  principcs,  divini 
mandati  immemores  effecti,  adversum  se  invicem  contentionibus,  zelo, 
livore,  supcrbia,  inimicitiis  atquo  odiis  inflammarcntur,  ita  ut  tyranni- 
dcm  potius  quam  saccrdotium  tcnero  so  crederent,  christians  humili- 
tatis  et  sinceritatis  obliti;  tunc  dcmum.  .  .domus  orationis  et  ecclcsiso 
Dei  vivi  ad  solum  deductsc  sunt ;  divinoc  vero  scriptural  in  medio 
platearum  igni  crematoe  sunt. — Euseb.  Ecclcs.  Hist.  RufQno  Aquil.  in- 
terprete,  lib.  viir.  cap.  1.  p.  183.  Basil.  1539.] 
[2  morto  expianda,  Lat.] 


III.]     THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.       75 

innocent  and  guiltless  servants.  For  the  thing  which  the 
Lord  did  persecute  in  his  people,  (their  sins,  I  mean,  and 
offences,)  that  do  the  tyrants  neither  punish  nor  persecute : 
but  the  thing  that  pleased  God,  (the  love,  I  mean,  of  true 
religion,  and  the  utter  detesting  of  idolatry,)  that  they  are 
mad  upon,  and  persecute  it  with  sword  and  fire  and  unspeak- 
able torments.  To  this  therefore  doth  that  saying  of  StHPetiv. 
Peter  belong :  "  See  that  none  of  you  be  punished  as  a 
murderer,  or  as  a  thief,  or  as  an  evil-doer,  or  as  a  busy-body 
in  other  men's  matters :  but  if  any  man  suffer  as  a  christian 
man,  let  him  not  be  ashamed,  but  rather  glorify  God  on  this 
behalf." 

Yet,  for  all  this,  I  would  not  that  heinous  offenders  should 
any  whit  despair.  They  have  the  example  of  the  thief  that 
was  crucified  with  Christ ;  that  let  them  follow :  let  them, 
I  say,  confess  their  faults,  believe  in  Christ,  commit  them- 
selves wholly  to  his  grace  and  mercy,  and  lastly,  suffer 
patiently  the  pain  of  their  punishment ;  and,  in  so  doing,  there 
is  no  doubt  but  they  shall  be  received  of  Christ  into  Paradise, 
and  live  there  for  ever,  as  the  thief  doth  with  Christ. 

And  although  the  godly  be  slain  among  transgressors,  yet  J^||7p^°'|sh 
is  he  no  more  defiled  by  suffering  with  them  than  Christ  our  ^^^^^1^'^ 
Lord  was,  being  hanged  among  thieves.  For  though  the  godly  ^'^''• 
and  ungodly  be  wrapped  and  coupled  together  in  one  kind  of 
punishment,  yet  are  they  severed  by  their  unlike  ending ; 
while  the  wicked,  after  this  bodily  death,  is  carried  to  hell, 
there  to  burn  without  intermission;  and  the  godly  taken  im- 
mediately into  heaven,  to  live  with  Christ  his  Lord,  to  whom 
ho  committed  and  commended^  himself.  Touching  this  matter, 
and  the  causes  of  the  afflictions  of  the  holy  men  of  God,  I  will 
not  be  aggrieved  to  recite  unto  you,  dearly  beloved,  a  notable 
place  of  St  Augustine  out  of  his  first  book  De  civitate  Dei. 
"  AVheresoever  (saith  he)  good  men  do  suffer  the  same  and  like 
punishment  that  the  evil  sort  do,  it  is  to  be  marked,  that 
there  is  not  therefore  no  difterence  betwixt  them,  because  there 
is  no  diversity  in  the  thing  that  they  suffer.  For  as  in  one 
and  the  same  fire  gold  doth  shine,  and  chaff'  doth  smoke ;  and 
under  one  flail  the  husk  is  broken,  and  the  corn  purged;  and 
as  the  scummy  froth  is  not  mixed  with  the  oil,  although  one 
weight  of  the  same  press  doth  crush  both  out  at  once:  even 
[3  obtulit,  Lat. ;  offered.] 


76  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

SO  one  and  the  self-same  misery,  falling  upon  the  good  and 
the  bad,  doth  try,  fine,  and  melt  the  good ;  and  on  the  other 
side  condemn,  waste,  and  consume  the  evil  sort.  Whereupon 
it  Cometh  to  pass,  that  in  one  and  the  same  affliction  the  evil 
do  detest  and  blaspheme  the  Lord,  when  contrarily  the  good 
do  pray  unto  and  praise  his  name  for  that  he  layeth  upon 
them.  So  much  matter  maketh  it  in  afflictions  to  mark  not 
what,  but  with  what  mind,  every  man  doth  suffer.  For  stir 
up  dirt  and  sweet  ointments  alike,  and  you  shall  have  the  one 
stink  filthily,  and  the  other  cast  forth  a  sweet-smelling  savour. 
Therefore  in  that  hurly-burly,  and  irruption  made  by  the 
barbarous  people,  what  did  the  Christians  suffer  which  was  not 
rather  to  their  profit,  while  they  did  faithfully  consider  those 
troubles?  especially  because  they,  humbly  considering  the  sins 
for  which  God,  being  wroth,  did  fill  the  world  with  so  many 
and  great  calamities,  although  they  be  far  from  committing 
heinous,  grievous,  and  outrageous  offences,  do  yet  nevertheless 
not  repute  themselves  so  clear  of  all  faults,  as  that  they  judge 
not  themselves  worthy  to  suffer  temporal  calamity  for  the 
crimes  they  commit  every  hour  and  moment.  For  over  and 
besides  that  every  man  which  liveth  peradventure  laudably 
enough,  doth  in  some  points  yield  a  little  to  carnal  concupis- 
cence, although  not  to  the  outrageousness  of  horrible  sins,  to 
the  gulf  of  heinous  offences  and  abominable  iniquities,  yet 
notwithstanding  he  yieldeth  to  some  sins,  which  either  he 
haunteth  very  seldomly,  or  else  committeth  so  much  the 
oftener  as  they  are  the  lesser ;  over  and  besides  this  therefore 
I  say,  what  man  is  there  which,  when  he  seeth  and  knoweth 
very  well  the  men  for  whose  pride,  lascivious  lives,  covetous- 
ness,  and  damnable  iniquity,  God  (as  he  hath  threatened)  doth 
plague  the  earth,  doth  so  esteem  them  as  they  are  to  be 
thought  of,  and  live  so  with  them  as  he  ought  to  live  with 
such  kind  of  people  ?  For  oftentimes  many  things  are  wickedly 
dissembled,  while  wicked  doers  are  not  taught,  corrected, 
chidden,  and  admonished  of  their  evil  behaviours,  either  be- 
cause wo  think  the  pain  too  much  to  tell  them  their  faults ;  or 
while  we  are  afraid  to  have  the  heavy  looks  of  them  with 
whom  we  live;  or  else  avoid  their  displeasure,  lest  peradventure 
they  should  hinder  or  hurt  us  in  temporal  matters,  when  as 
either  our  greediness  desireth  to  have  somewhat  more,  or 
our  infirmity  fcarcth  to  lose  the  things  whicli  it  hath  already 


III.]     THE    EIGHTH    PRECEPT    OF    THE    TEN    COM.MAND.MENTS.       77 

in  hold  and  possession :  so  that,  although  the  life  of  the  wicked 
displease  the  good,  for  which  cause  they  fall  not  into  the  same 
damnation,  which  is  after  this  life  prepared  for  the  evil ;  yet, 
since  they  do  therefore  bear  with,  and  forbear,  their  damnable 
sins,  because  they  fear  them  in  lighter  and  smaller  trifles, 
they  are  justly  scourged  with  them  in  this  temporal  life,  albeit 
they  be  not  punished  with  them  eternally.  While  they  be 
punished  by  God  with  the  wicked,  they  do  justly  feel  the 
bitterness  of  this  life,  for  the  love  of  whose  sweetness  they 
would  not  be  bitter  in  telling  the  wicked  of  their  offences.  This 
therefore  seemeth  to  me  to  be  no  small  cause  why  the  good  arc 
whipped  with  the  evil,  when  it  pleaseth  God  to  punish  the 
naughty  manners  of  men  with  the  affliction  of  temporal  pains. 
For  they  are  scourged  together,  not  for  because  they  lead 
an  evil  life  together,  but  because  they  love  this  temporal  life 
together.  I  do  not  say  alike,  but  together ;  when  the  better 
sort  ought  to  despise  it,  that  the  evil,  being  rebuked  and  cor- 
rected, might  obtain  the  eternal  life;  to  the  getting  whereof  if 
they  would  not  be  our  fellows  and  partners,  they  should  bo 
carried  and  lovingly  drawn,  even  while  they  be  our  enemies; 
because,  so  long  as  they  live,  it  is  always  uncertain  whether 
their  minds  shall  be  changed  to  be  better  or  no.  Wherefore 
they  have  not  the  like  but  a  far  greater  cause  to  admonish 
men  of  their  faults,  to  whom  the  Lord  saith  by  the  mouth  of 
the  prophet:  '  He  verily  shall  die  in  his  sin,  but  his  blood  will 
I  require  at  the  hand  of  the  watchman.'  For  to  this  end  are 
the  watchmen,  that  is,  the  guides  of  the  people,  ordained  in 
the  churches,  that  they  should  not  forbear  to  rebuke  sin  and 
wickedness.  And  yet,  for  all  this,  that  man  is  not  altogether 
excusable  of  this  fault,  which,  although  he  be  no  guide  or 
overseer  of  the  people,  doth,  notwithstanding,  know  many  things 
worthy  controlment,  and  yet  wink  at  them  in  those  with 
whom  he  liveth  and  is  conversant,  because  he  will  give  them 
none  offence,  for  fear  lest  he  lose  those  things,  which  in  this 
world  he  useth  as  he  ought  not,  or  is  delighted  in  so  as  he 
should  not'."  And  so  forth.  For  all  this  have  I  hitherto  re- 
hearsed out  of  St  Augustine. 

[1  Iltec  cum  ita  sint,  quicunque  boni  mali(iue  paviter  afllicti  sunt, 
non  ideo  ipsi  distinct!  non  sunt,  quia  distiuctum  non  est  quod  utriquo 
pcrpessi  sunt. — Nam  sicut  sub  uno  igno  aurum  rutilat,  palea  fumat,  ct 
Bub  eadom  tribula  stipula;  comminuuntur,  frumenta  purgantur;  nee 


78  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

The  last  and  hindermost   cause  of  the  calamities  which 
oppress  the  holy  saints  of  God  is,  because  the  Lord,  in  afflict- 

ideo  cum  oleo  amurca  confunditur,  quia  eodem  preli  pondere  exprimi- 
tur:  ita  una  eademque  vis  irruens  bonos  probat,  purificat,  eliquat; 
malos  damnat,  vastat,  exterminat.  Unde  in  eadem  afflictionc  mall 
Deum  detestantur  atque  blasphemant,  boni  autem  precantur  et  lau- 
dant.  Tantum  interest,  non  qualia,  sed  qualis  quisque  patiatur.  Nam 
pari  motu  exagitatum  et  exhalat  horribiliter  coenum,  et  suaviter  fragrat 
unguentum. .  .  .Quid  igitur  in  ilia  rerum  vastitate  Cliristiani  passi  sunt, 
quod  eis  non  magis  fideliter  ista  considerantibus  ad  profectum  valeret  ? 
Primo,  quod  ipsa  peccata,  quibus  Deus  indignatus  iraplevit  tantis 
calamitatibus  mundum,  humiliter  cogitantes,  quamvis  longe  absint  a 
facinorosis,  flagitiosis,  atque  impiis,  tamen  non  usque  adeo  se  a  delictis 
deputant  alienos,  ut  nee  temporalia  pro  eis  mala  perpeti  se  judicent 
indignos.  (Bullinger's  text  has  dignos.)  Excepto  enim  quod  unusquis- 
que,  quamlibet  laudabiliter  vivens,  cedit  in  quibusdam  carnali  con- 
cupiscentiaj,  etsi  non  ad  facinorum  immanitatem  et  gurgitem  flagitiorum 
atque  impietatis  abominationem,  ad  aliqua  tamen  peccata  vel  rara  vel 
tanto  crebriora  quanto  minora : — hoc  ergo  excepto,  quis  tandem  facile 
reperitur,  qui  eosdem  ipsos,  propter  quorum  horrendam  superbiam, 
luxuriam,  et  avaritiam,  atque  execrabiles  iniquitates  et  impietatcs  Deus, 
sicut  minando  prsedixit,  conterit  terras,  sic  habeat  ut  liabendi  sunt; 
sic  cum  eis  vivat,  ut  cum  talibus  vivendum  est  ?  Plerumque  enim  ab 
eis  docendis,  admonendis,  aliquando  etiam  objurgandis  et  corripiendis 
male  dissimulatur ;  vel  cum  laboris  piget,  vel  cum  os  eorum  (coram) 
verecundamur  ofFendere;  vel  cum  eorum  inimicitias  devitamus,  ne 
impediant  et  noceant  in  istis  temporalibus  rebus,  sive  quas  adipisci 
adhuc  appetit  nostra  cupiditas,  sive  quas  amittere  formidat  infirmitas : 
ita  ut  quamvis  bonis  vita  malorum  displiceat,  et  ideo  cum  eis  non  inci- 
dant  in  illam  damnationem,  quse  post  banc  vitam  talibus  prteparatur ; 
tamen  quia  propterea  peccatis  eorum  damnabilibus  parcunt,  dum  eos  in 
suis  licet  levibus  et  venialibus  metuunt,  jure  cum  eis  temporaliter  fla- 
gellantur,  quamvis  in  asternum  minime  puniantur.  Jure  istam  vitam, 
quando  divinitus  affliguntur  cum  eis,  amaram  sentiunt,  cujus  amando 
dulcedinem  peccantibus  eis  amari  esse  noluerunt. . . .  Non  mihi  itaque 
videtur  hsec  parva  esse  causa,  quaro  cum  malis  flagellentur  et  boni, 
quando  Deo  placet  perditos  mores  etiam  temporalium  pcenarum  afflic- 
tione  punire.  Flagellantur  enim  simul,  non  quia  simul  agunt  malam 
vitam,  scd  quia  simul  amant  temporalem  vitam  :  non  quidem  tcqualiter, 
sed  tamen  simul ;  quam  boni  conteraneredeberent,  utilli  correpti  atque 
correcti  conscquerentur  a?ternam :  ad  quam  consequendam,  si  nollent 
esse  socii,  ferrentur  et  diligerentur  inimici ;  quia  donee  vivunt,  semper 
incertum  est,  utrum  voluntatem  sint  in  melius  mutaturi.  Qua  in  re 
non  utique  parem,  sed  longe  graviorcm  habent  causam,  quibus  per 
Prophetam  dicitur, 'Ille  quidem  in  sue  peccato  morietur,  sanguincm 
autem  ejus  de  manu  spcculatoris  rcquiram.*   Ad  hoc  enim  spcculatorcs, 


III.]     THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       79 

ing  his  friends,  doth  thereby  give  a  most  evident  testimony  The  affliction 
of  his  just  iudf^ment,  which  shall  fall  upon  his  enemies  for^anarpu- 

•'  •'        O  '  1  ment  of  God's 

their  contemning  of  his  name  and  majesty.     For  St  Peter  J.^Jfj^^'je-jn^, 
saith;  "The  time  is  that  judgment^  must  begin  at  the  house  [l"pet.''i>.'',7, 
of  God:  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall  the  end  be  of  those  ^"■■' 
which  believe  not  the  gospel  of  God  ?     And  if  the  righte- 
ous scarcely  be   saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  sinner 
appear?"    And  like  to  this  is  that  notable  sentence  of  the 
Lord's,  which  he  spake,  when  he  went  to  the  place  of  exe- 
cution, saying:  "If  they  do  this  in  a  moist  tree,  what  shall  i^"ke  xxm. 
be  done  in  the  dry?"     If  the  saints,  by  whom  are  meant  the 
fruitful-  trees  bringing  forth  most  precious  fruits  of  good  works, 
are,  by  the  sufferance  of  God,  in  this  world  so  miserably 
tormented  and  wrongfully  vexed;  what  shall  we  say,  I  pray 
you,  of  the  wicked,  which  are  so  far  from  virtue  and  good 
works?  They  shall,  undoubtedly,  be  plagued  with  unspeakable 
pains  and  punishments. 

For  touchino;   the  causes  of  those  calamities   wherewith  The  causes  of 

I'll  afflictions  in 

the  Wicked  are  tormented ;  they  can  be  none  other  than  the  "^e  wicked 
heinous  crimes  which  they  commit  from  day  to  day ;  and  are 
therefore  punished  by  God's  just  judgment,  to  the  end  that 
all  men  may  perceive,  that  God  hateth  wicked  men  and 
wickedness  alike.  So  we  read  that  Pharao  was  afflicted. 
Saul  fell  upon  his  own  sword,  and  was  slain  in  the  mount 
Gilboe,  with  many  thousand  Israelites,  because  he  had  sinned 
against  the  Lord,  which  purposed  to  destroy  him  for  an  ex- 
ample of  his  judgment,  and  a  terror  to  them  that  should 
follow  after.  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  Herod  the  Great,  Ilerod 
Agrippa,  and  Galerius  Maximianus,  the  emperor,  were  taken 
horribly  with  grievous  diseases,  and  died  of  the  same^.      The 

hoc  est,  populoium  prceposlti,  coiistituti  sunt  in  ccclesiis,  ut  non  par- 
cant  objurgando  peccata.  Nee  ideo  tamen  ab  hujuscemodi  culpa 
penitus  alienus  est,  qui,  licet  prsepositus  non  sit,  in  cis  tamen,  quibus 
vitoe  hujus  necessitate  conjungitur,  multa  moncnda  vel  arguenda  novit, 
et  negligit,  devitans  eorum  ofFensiones  propter  ilia  quibus  in  liac  vita 
non  indebitis  utitur,  sed  plusquam  debuit  delectatur. — August.  0pp. 
dc  Civit.  Dei.  Lib.  I.  capp.  8,  9.  Tom.  v.  p.  4,  col.  4.  p.  5,  col.  1,  2,  3. 
Par.  1531.] 

[1  Aftlictio  inquam  ct  tribulatio,  Lat. ;  omitted  by  the  translator ; 
I  mean,  affliction  and  tribulation.] 

[2  Si  sanctaj  arbores  frugiferre,  Lat. ;  if  the  holy  fruitful  trees.] 
[3  Sec  Vol.  I.  p.  318.     For  the  miserable  end  of  Maximian  seo 


godly. 


80  THE   THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

reason  was,  because  they  sinned  against  God  and  his  servants; 
on  whom  he  determined  to  take  a  vengeance,  and  to  make 
them  proofs  of  his  just  judgment ;  so  to  be  examples  for 
tyrants  to  perceive  what  plagues  remain  for  those  which 
seek  the  blood  of  the  godly  and  faithful.  And  although 
our  good  God  doth  ordain  all  things  for  the  best  to  his 
creatures,  and  sendeth  in  a  manner  all  calamities  and  miseries 
to  draw  us  from  wickedness  ;  yet  because  hypocrites  and 
wicked  people  despise  the  counsels  and  admonitions  of  God, 
and  neither  will  acknowledge  God  when  he  striketh,  nor 
turn  to  him  when  he  calleth  them,  all  things  do  turn  to  their 
destruction  (even  as  to  them  which  love  the  Lord  all  things 
work  to  the  best),  and  therefore  do  they  perish  in  their 
calamities:  for  in  this  world  they  feeP  the  wrath  of  the 
almighty  God  in  most  horrible  punishments ;  and  in  the 
world  to  come,  when  once  they  are  parted  out  of  this  life, 
do  for  ever 2  bear  far  greater^  and  bitterer  pains  than  any 
tongue  can  tell. 
Theinfeiieity  But  if  it  happen  that  the  wicked  and  ungodly  sort  do 
not  in  this  life  feel  any  plague  or  grievous  affliction,  then 
shall  they  be  punished  so  much  the  sorer  in  the  world  to 
come.  There  is  no  man  that  knoweth  not  the  evangelical 
parable  of  the  rich  unmerciful  glutton,  who,  when  as  in  this 
life  he  lived  as  he  lusted,  in  passing  delights,  was  notwith- 
standing in  hell  tormented  with  unquenchable  thirst,  and 
parched  with  fire*  which  never  ceased  burning.  The  felicity 
therefore  of  the  wicked  in  this  life  is  nothing  else  but 
extreme  misery.  For  St  James  the  Apostle  saith :  "  Ye 
have  lived  in  pleasure  upon  earth,  and  been  wanton ;  ye  have 
nourished  your  hearts,  as  in  a  day  of  slaughter^;"  which,  I 
say,  will  turn  to  you,  as  to  well-fed  beasts,  that  are  fatted 
up  to  be  slain  to  make  meat  of**.      For  Jeremy  goeth  a  little 

Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  viii.  cap.  16,  and  Lactantius  de  Mor.  Pcr- 
secut.  cap.  33,  and  Gibbon,  chap.  xiv.  p.  213.  Vol.  ii.  ed.  Lond.  1820.] 
[1  porsentiscere  incipiunt,  Lat. ;  they  begin  to  feel.] 
[2  So  1577,  but  in  1587,  therefore  hear,  ceternum  perferuut,  Lat.] 
[3  eadem,  imo  longe  majora,  Lat. ;  the  same,  nay  far  greater.] 
[4  ignibus  infeniahbus,  Lat. ;  fire  of  hell.] 
[5  James  v.  5.     Bullinger  has  adopted  Erasmus'  renderings.] 
[6  In  his  Commentary  Bullinger  prefers  the  other  explanation  of 
this  comparison:  in  deliciis  lascive  pascitis  cuticulam  vestram,  quoti- 
diana  agitantes  convivia,  non  minus  splendida  quam  alii  solent  fcsto  die 
mactata  victinia.] 


III.]     THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.       81 

more  plainly  to  work,  and  saith  :  "  O  Lord,  thou  art  more 
righteous  than  that  I  should  dispute  -with  thee :  yet  not- 
withstanding I  will  talk  with  thee.  How  happeneth  it  that 
the  way  of  the  ungodly  doth  prosper  so  well,  and  that  it 
goeth  so  well  with  them  which  without  shame  offend  in 
wickedness?  Thou  hast  planted  them,  they  take  root,  they 
grow,  and  bring  forth  fruit."  And  immediately  after:  "But 
draw  thou  them  out,  O  Lord,  like  a  sheep '^  to  be  slain,  and 
ordain  or  appoint  them^  against  the  day  of  slaughter." 
With  this  also  doth  that  agree,  which  the  prophet  Asaph,  psai.  ixxiii. 
after  he  had  roundly  and  largely  reckoned  up  the  fell-  "^^^"^"-^ 
city  of  the  wicked,  addeth,  saying ;  "  Thou,  verily,  hast  set 
them  in  slippery  places ;  thou  shalt  cast  them  down  headlong, 
and  utterly  destroy  them^.  0  with  how  sudden  calamities 
are  they  oppressed ;  they  are  perished  and  swallowed  up  of 
terrors !  Even  as  a  dream  that  vanisheth  so  soon  as  one 
awaketh ;  thou.  Lord,  shalt  make  their  image  contemptible 
in  the  city."  For  David  also  before  him  did  cry,  saying  : 
"  Yet  a  little,  and  the  ungodly  shall  be  nowhere ;  and  when  Psai.  xxxvu. 
thou  lookest  in  his  place,  he  shall  not'^  appear.  I  have  seen 
the  ungodly  in  great  power,  and  flourishing ^^  like  a  green 
bay-tree  :  and  I  went  by,  and,  lo,  he  was  gone ;  I  sought 
him,  but  he  could  not  be  found."  In  like  manner  also  doth 
Malachi  the  prophet  witness,  that  there  is  great  difi'crence, 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  betwixt  the  worshipper  and  despiser 
of  God,  and  betwixt  the  just  and  unjust  dealer  :  "For  the  day  [Mai.  ni.  is, 
of  the  Lord  shall  come,  in  which  the  proud,  and  those  that  '"^ 
work  wickedness,  shall  be  burnt  as  stubble  with  fire  from 
heaven,  so  that  there  shall  remain  unto  them  neither  root 
nor  branch."  They  that  are  wise,  therefore,  will  never 
hereafter  be  offended  at  the  felicity  of  the  wicked  :  they  will 
never  desire  and  long  to  be  made  partakers  of  their  unhappy 
prosperity :  they  will  not  grudge  at  all  to  bear  the  misery 
of  the  cross,  which  they  do  daily  hear  to  be  laid  by  God'^ 

['^  sicut  pecudem  e  grege,  Lat.] 

[8  consecra  sive  destina,  Lat. ;  sanctify  or  set  apart ;  □Ji'lpn,  Heb. 
sanctifica,  Vulg.] 

[9  ut  prorsus  dissiliant,  Lat.  ;  that  they  may  burst  aUogethcr.] 

[10  nuspiam,  Lat. ;  nowliere.] 

[11  et  virentem  ac  sese  diffundentem,  Lat.] 

[12  a  clementissimo  Deo,  Lat  1 

[bullinger,  II.J 


82  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

upon  his  saints,  to  the  end  they  may  be  tried  and  fined  from 
the  dross  of  the  flesh   and   this  unclean   world.     Thus  far 
have  I  sufficiently  reasoned  of  the  causes  of  calamities. 
How  the  Let  us  now    see,  my  reverend  brethren  ^  how,  and  in 

godly  behave  '         t/  '  ' 

inXfr"^^^  what  order,  the  godly  and  sincere  worshipper  of  God  doth 
calamities,  boliave  himsolf  in  all  calamities  and  worldly  afflictions.  His 
courage  quaileth  not,  but  kicketh  rather  all  desperation  aside^, 
because  he  understandeth,  that  he  must  manfully  in  faith 
bear  all  sorts  of  evils.  Therefore  doth  he  arm  himself  with 
hope,  patience,  and  prayer.  There  are,  verily,  among  men 
some  which,  so  soon  as  they  feel  any  affliction,  do  presently 
cry,  as  the  common  voice  is.  That  it  had  been  best  if  they 
never  had  been  born,  or  else  destroyed  as  soon  as  they  were 
born.  A  very  wicked  saying  is  this,  and  not  worthy  to  be 
heard  in  a  christian  man's  mouth.  But  far  more  wicked  are 
they  which  stick  not  to  destroy  themselves^  rather  than  by 
living  they  would  be  compelled  to  suffer  any  longer  some 
small  calamity,  or  abide  the  taunts  of  the  open  world.  And 
The  stoics     yet  on  the  other  side  again  men  must  reject  the  unsavoury 

were  of  opi-  ..  n      i  n-  i-  -i'-tt         .  11         /» 

rion,  thata    opmiou  01  tho   fetoics,  touchmg  their  tndolentia,  or  lack  oi 

valiant  man        •■■  .  .  .  ,     °         _ 

be^Heved'°  g^ief:    touchiug    which  I  will  recite  unto    you,   dearly  be- 
SLeryorca-  lovcd,  a  most  cxcelleut  discourse  of  a  notable  doctor  in  the 
lamity.         cliurcli  of  Christ,  set  down  in  these  words  following  : 
Against  the  "We  are  too  unthankful  towards  our  God,  unless  we  do 

lentia.  "willingly  and  cheerfully  suffer  calamities  at  his  hand.  And 
yet  such  cheerfulness  is  not  required  of  us,  as  should  take 
away  all  sense  and  feehng  of  grief  and  bitterness :  otherwise 
there  should  be  no  patience  in  the  saints'  suffering  of  the 
cross  of  Christ,  unless  they  were  both  pinched  by  the  heart  with 
grief,  and  vexed  in  body  with  outward  troubles.  If  in  poverty 
there  were  no  sharpness,  if  in  diseases  no  pain,  if  in  infamy 
no  sting,  and  in  death  no  horror,  what  fortitude  or  tem- 
perancy  were  it  to  make  small  account  of  and  set  little  by 
them  ?  But  since  every  one  of  them  doth  naturally  nip  the 
minds  of  us  all  with  a  certain  bitterness  cngraffed  in  them, 
the  valiant  stomach  of  a  faithful  man  doth  therein  shew  itself, 
if  he,  being  pricked  with  the  feeling  of  this  bitterness,  howso- 
ever he  is  grievously  pained  therewith,  doth  notwithstanding 

[1  honorandi  fratres,  Lat.] 

[2  calcat,  Lat.] 

[3  sibi  ipsis  violeutam  et  armatam  manum  inforiuit,  Lat.] 


III.]       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.     83 

by  valiant  resisting  and  continual  struggling  worthily  van- 
quish and  quite  overcome  it.  Therein  doth  patience  make 
proof  of  itself,  if,  when  a  man  is  sharply  pricked,  it  doth 
notwithstanding  so  bridle  itself  with  the  fear  of  God,  that  it 
never  breaketh  forth  to  immoderate  unruliness.  Therein  doth 
cheerfulness  clearly  appear,  if  a  man,  once  wounded  with 
sorrow  and  sadness,  doth  quietly  stay  himself  upon  the 
spiritual  consolation  of  his  God  and  creator.  This  conflict, 
which  the  faithful  sustain  against  the  natural  feeling  of  sorrow 
and  grief,  while  they  study  to  exercise  patience  and  tem- 
perance, the  apostle  Paul  hath  finely  described  in  words  as 
followeth :  '  We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  but  not  made  [2  cor.  iv. 
sorrowful :  we  are  in  poverty,  but  not  in  extreme  poverty  :  ' 
we  suffer  persecution,  but  are  not  forsaken  therein :  we  are 
cast  down,  but  we  perish  not.'  Thou  seest  here,  that  to 
bear  the  cross  patiently  is  not  to  be  altogether  senseless  and 
utterly  bereft  of  all  kind  of  feeling  :  as  the  Stoics  of  old  did 
foohshly  describe  the  valiant  man  to  be  such  an  one,  as, 
laying  aside  the  nature  of  man,  should  be  affected  alike  in 
adversity  and  prosperity,  in  sorrowful  matters  and  joyful 
things ;  yea,  and  such  an  one  as  should  be  moved  with  nothing 
whatsoever  ^  And  what  did  they,  I  pray  you,  with  this 
exceeding  great  patience^?  Forsooth,  they  painted  the  image 
of  patience,  which  neither  ever  was,  nor  possibly  can  be,  found 
among  men.  Yea,  while  they  went  about  to  have  patience 
over  exquisite  and  too  precise,  they  took  away  the  force 
thereof  out  of  the  life  of  man.  At  this  day  also  there  are 
among  us  Christians  certain  new  upstart  Stoics,  which  think  it 
a  fault  not  only  to  sigh  and  weep,  but  also  to  be  sad  and 
sorrowful  for  any  matter.  And  these  paradoxes,  verily,  do 
for  the  most  part  proceed  from  idle  fellows,  which,  exercising 
themselves  rather  in  contemplation *5  than  in  working,  can  do 
nothing  else  but  daily  breed  such  novelties  and  paradoxes. 
But  we  Christians  have  nothing  to  do  with  tliis  iron-hke  pen-ea  phuo- 
philosophy,  since  our  Lord  and  master  hath  not  in  words 
only,  but  with  his  own  example  also,  utterly  condemned 
it.  For  he  groaned  at  and  wept  over  both  his  own  and  other 
men's  calamities,  and  taught  his   disciples    to    do  the  like. 

[4  instar  lapidis,  Lat. ;  like  a  stone.] 

[5  Calvin's  word  is  sapientia;  but  BuUinger  reads  patientia.] 

[c  speculando,  Lat.] 

6—2 


84  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

[johnxvi.  *  The  world  (saith  he)  shall  rejoice,  but  ye  shall  be  sorrowful, 
ye  shall  weep.'  And  lest  any  man  should  make  that  weep- 
ing to  be  their  fault,  he  pronounceth  openly,  that  they  are 

[Matt.  V.  4.]  happy  which  do  mourn.  And  no  marvel :  for  if  all  tears 
be  misliked  of,  what  should  we  judge  of  the  Lord  himself,  out 
of  whose  body  bloody  tears  did  trilP  ?  If  all  fear  be  noted  to 
proceed  of  unbelief,  what  shall  we  think  of  that  horror, 
wherewith  we  read  that  the  Lord  himself  was  stricken^  ?  If 
we  mislike  all  sorrow  and  sadness,  how  shall  we  like  of 
that  where  the  Lord  confesseth  that  his  soul  is  heavy 
unto  the  death? 

"  Thus  much  did  I  mind  to  say,  to  the  intent  that  I  might 
revoke  godly  minds  from  desperation  ;  lest  peradventure  they 
do  therefore  out  of  hand  forsake  to  seek  after  patience,  because 
they  cannot  utterly  shake  off  the  natural  motions  of  grief  and 
heaviness :  which  can  not  choose  but  happen  to  them  which 
of  patience  do  make  a  kind  of  senselessness,  and  of  a  valiant 
and  constant  man  a  senseless  block,  or  a  stone  without  pas- 
sions^. For  the  scripture  doth  praise  the  saints  for  their 
patience,  while  they  are  so  afflicted  with  the  sharpness  of 
calamities  as  that  thereby  their  stomachs  are  not  broken,  nor 
their  courage  is  utterly  quailed ;  while  they  are  so  stung  with 
the  prick  of  bitterness  as  that  they  are  filled  with  spiritual 
joy ;  while  they  are  so  oppressed  with  heaviness  of  mind  as 
that  yet  they  be  cheerful^  in  God's  consolation.  And  yet  is 
that  repugnancy  still  in  their  hearts,  because  the  natural  sense 
doth  fly  from  and  abhor  the  thing  that  it  feeleth  contrary  to 
itself;  when  as,  on  the  other  side,  the  motions  of  godliness 
doth  even  through  these  difficulties,  by  striving,  seek  a  way 
to  the  obedience  of  God.      This  repugnancy  did  the  Lord  ex- 

john  xxi.  press  when  he  said  to  Peter ;  '  When  thou  wast  younger, 
thou  girdedst  thyself,  and  wentest  whither  thou  wouldest : 
but  when  thou  shalt  be  old,  another  shall  gird  thee,  and  lead 
thee  whither  thou  wouldest  not.'  It  is  not  unhke  verily  ^ 
that  Peter,  when  it  was  need  to  glorify  God  by  his  death,  was 

[1  trill :    trickle,  fall  in  drops.    Johnson.] 
[2  non  levitcr  consternatum,  Lat.] 
[3  or  a  stono,  &c.  not  in  Lat.] 
[■*  exhilarati  respirent,  Lat.] 

[s  This  translation  is  wrong.  The  Latin  is,  Non  est  sane  verisimile ; 
It  is  not  indeed  likely.'] 


m.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.     85 

with  much  ado  against  his  "will  drawn  unto  it :  for  if  it  had 
been  so,  his  martyrdom  had  deserved  httle  praise  or  none. 
But  howsoever  he  did  with  great  cheerfulness  of  heart  obey  the 
ordinance  of  God ;  yet  because  he  had  not  laid  aside  the  affec- 
tions of  his  flesh  ^,  his  mind  was  drawn  two  sundry  ways.  For 
while  he  saw  before  his  eyes  the  bloody  death  which  he  had  to 
suffer,  he  was  undoubtedly  struck  through  with  the  fear  thereof, 
and  would  with  all  his  heart  have  escaped  it :  and  on  the  other 
side,  when  he  remembered  that  he  was  by  God's  commandment 
called  thereunto,  overcoming  and  treading  down  all  fear,  he 
did  willingly  and  cheerfully  yield  himself  unto  it.  If  therefore 
we  mean  to  be  Christ  his  disciples,  our  chief  and  especial  study 
must  be,  to  have  our  minds  endued  with  so  great  obedience 
and  love'^  of  God  as  is  able  to  tame  and  bring  under  all  the 
ilP  motions  of  our  minds  to  the  ordinance  of  his  holy  will. 
And  so  it  will  come  to  pass,  that,  with  what  kind  of  cross  so- 
ever we  be  vexed,  we  may,  even  in  the  greatest  troubles  of  our 
minds,  constantly  retain  quiet  sufferance  and  patience.  For 
adversity  will  have  a  sharpness  to  nip  us  withal ;  likewise,  being 
afflicted  with  sickness  and  diseases,  we  shall  groan  and  be  dis- 
quieted and  wish  for  health  :  being  oppressed  with  poverty,  we 
shall  be  pricked  with  the  sting  of  care  and  heaviness  :  in  like 
manner,  we  shall  be  stricken  with  the  grief  of  infamy,  con- 
tempt, and  injury  done  unto  us  ;  also  at  the  death  of  our  friends 
nature  will  move  us  to  shed  tears  for  their  sakes.  But  this  must 
still  be  the  end  of  our  thoughts,  Why,  the  Lord  would  have  it 
so^;   let  us  therefore  follow  his  will."     Thus  much  hath  he'*'. 

Wherefore  the  faithful,  being  once  over-taken  and  entangled  or thesainu' 
with  calamities,  do  chiefly  remedy  their  miseries  with  patience : 
which  (as  Lactantius  saith)  "  is  the  quiet  bearing,  with  an  indif- 
ferent mind,  of  those  evils  which  are  either  laid  or  do  fall 
on  our  pates '^"  For  the  faithful  man  by  patience,  having  his 
eyes  throughly  fastened  upon  the  word  of  God,  doth  in  faith 

[6  humanitatem  non  cxuerat,  Lat.] 

[■?  observantia,  Lat.]  [^  contrarias,  Lat.] 

P  Atqui  Dominus  ita  voluit;  Well,  but  so  is  the  will  of  the  Lord!] 

[10  Calvini  Instit.  Lib.  iii.  cap.  8.  §  8,  9,  10.  ed.  Amstel.  Tom.  ix. 

p.  185.] 

[11  Patientia  est  malorum,  quse  aut  iiiferuntur,  aut  accidunt,  cum 

sequanimitate  perlatio. — Lactant.  Divin.  Instit.  Lib.  v.  cap.  22,  p.  530. 

Lugd.  Bat.  1660.] 


86  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

and  hope  stick  fast  to  God  and  cleave  to  his  word ;  he  suffer- 
eth  all  adversities  whatsoever  bechance  him,  moderating  always 
the  grief  of  his  mind  and  pains  of  his  body  with  wonderful^ 
wisdom,  so  that  at  no  time,  being  overcome  with  the  greatness 
of  grief  or  sorrow,  he  doth  revolt  from  God  and  his  word,  to 
do  the  things  that  the  Lord  hath  forbidden.  By  patience 
therefore  he  vanquisheth  himself  and  his  affections,  he  over- 
cometh  all  calamities,  and  standeth  still  stedfast  with  a  quiet 
mind  and  well-disposed  heart  to  God-ward.  And  although 
the  faithful  do  with  patience  suffer  all  things,  yet  doth  he  find 
fault  with  the  things  that  are  wicked,  and  hardly  bear  with 
aught  that  is  against  the  truth.  For  our  Saviour,  Christ  Jesus, 
the  only  perfect  example  of  patience,  did  most  patiently  yield 
his  hands  and  his  whole  body  to  be  bound  of  the  wicked  ;  and 
yet  nevertheless  he  reproveth  their  iniquity,  saying:  "Ye  are 
come  forth  as  to  a  thief  with  swords  and  staves,  although  I 
was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple:  but  this  is  your  hour  and 
power  of  darkness  2." 
The  image  of  To  tliis  uow  belongeth  that  excellent  description,  or  lively 
image  ^,  of  patience  laid  down  by  Tertullian  in  words  as  folio w- 
eth:  "  Go  to  now,  let  us  see  the  image  and  habit  of  patience. 
Her  countenance  is  calm  and  quiet;  her  forehead  smooth, 
without  furrowed  wrinkles,  which  are  the  signs  of  sorrow  or 
anger ;  her  brows  are  never  knit,  but  slack  in  cheerful  wise, 
with  her  eyes  cast  comely  down  to  the  ground,  not  for  the 
sorrow  of  any  calamities,  but  only  for  humility's  sake.  Upon 
her  mouth  she  beareth  the  mark  of  honour,  which  silence 
bringeth  to  them  that  use  it.  Her  colour  is  like  to  theirs  that 
are  nigh  no  danger,  and  are  guiltless  of  evil.  Her  head  is 
often  shaken  at  of  the  devil*,  and  therewithal  she  hath  a 
threatening  laughter.  Moreover,  the  clothes  about  her  breasts 
are  white,  and  close  to  her  body,  as  that  which  waggeth  not 
with  every  wind,  nor  tosseth  up  with  every  blast.  For  she 
sitteth  in  the  throne  of  that  most  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is  not  troubled  with  any  tempest,  nor  overcast  with  any  clouds ; 

[1  coelesti,  Lat.] 

[2  Luke  xxii.  52,  53.  BuUingcr  has  adopted  Erasmus'  translation. 
The  Vulgate  reads  the  former  sentence  interrogatively,  as  our  English 
authorised  version.] 

[3  pi-osopopceia,  Lat.] 

[■*  Her  head  is  often  shaked  at  the  devil,  ed.  1577.] 


III.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.      87 

but  is  plain,  open,  and  of  a  goodly  clearness,  as  Ilcllas  saw 

it  the  third  time.      For  where  God  is,  there  also  is  Patience,  [i  Kings  xix. 

his  darhng,  which  he  nourisheth^." 

Moreover,  the  blessed  martvr  Cyprian,  in  his  sermon  De  The  force 

"  ''  I-  _  and  efl'ccU  of 

hono  j)citientice,  reckoneth  up  the  force  or  works  of  patience,  patience. 
and  saith:  "  Patience  is  that  which  commendeth  us  to  God,  and 
preserveth  us.  Patience  is  that  which  mitigatcth  anger, 
which  bridleth  the  tongue,  governeth  the  mind,  keepeth  peace, 
ruleth  disciphne,  breaketh  the  assaults  of  lust,  keepeth  under 
the  force  of  pride,  quencheth  the  fire  of  hatred,  restraineth 
the  power  of  the  rich,  relic veth  the  need  of  the  poor,  main- 
taineth  in  maidens  unspotted  virginity,  in  widows  chastity, 
in  married  people  unseparable  charity  ;  which  maketh  humble 
in  prosperity,  constant  in  adversity,  meek  in  taking  injury ; 
which  teacheth  thee  to  forgive  quickly  those  that  offend  thee, 
and  never  cease  to  crave  pardon  when  thou  offcndest  others ; 
which  vanquisheth  temptations,  which  suffereth  persecutions, 
and  finisheth  with  martyrdom^.  This  is  that  which  groundeth 
surely  the  foundations  of  our  faith:  this  is  that  which  doth 
augment  the  increase  of  our  hope:  this  is  that  which  guideth 
us,  so  that  we  may  keep  the  way  to  Christ,  while  we  do  go 
by  the  suffering  thereof:  this  is  that  which  maketh  us  conti- 
nue the  sons  of  God,  while  we  do  imitate  the  patience  of  our 
Father"."      Thus  much  Cyprian. 

[5  Age  jam,  si  et  efiSgiem  habitumque  ejus  (patientise)  compre- 
hendamus:  vultus  illi  tranquillus  et  placidus,  frons  pura,  nulla  moeroris 
aut  irce  rugositate  contracta:  remissa  asquc  in  Isctum  modum  super- 
cilia,  oculis  humilitate,  non  infelicitate,  dejectis.  Os  tacitumitatis  honore 
signatuni.  Color,  qualis  sccuris  et  innoxiis.  Motus  frequens  capitis 
in  diabolum,  et  minax  risus.  Ceterum  amictus  cireum  pectora  can- 
didus  et  corpori  impressus ;  ut  qui  nee  inflatur  nee  inquinatur  (Bul- 
linger's  text  is  tlie  various  reading^  inquietatur).  Sedet  enim  in  throno 
spiritus  ejus  mitissimi  et  mansuetissimi,  qui  non  turbine  glomeratui*, 
non  nubilo  livet,  sed  est  tenerre  serenitatis,  apertus,  et  simplex,  qucm 
tertio  vidit  Hclias.  Nam  ubi  Deus,  ibidem  et  alumna  ejus,  patientia 
scilicet. — TertuU.  de  Patientia.  ed.  Semler.  Tom.  iv.  p.  87.  Hal. 
Mag.  1824.] 

[c  BuUinger  lias,  persccutiones  et  martyria.] 

\^  Patientia  est,  quae  nos  Deo  commendat,  et  servat.  Ipsa  est  quae 
iram  temperat ;  qua;  linguam  franat ;  qua;  nientcm  gubcrnat,  pacem 
custodit,  disciplinam  regit,  libidinis  impctum  frangit,  tumoris  violen- 
tiam  comprimit,  incendium  simultatis  extinguit ;  coercet  potontiam 
divitum,  inopiam  pauperum  refovet ;  tuetur  in  virginibus  beatam  inte- 


88  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM, 

To  this,  if  it  please  you,  you  may  add,  for  a  conclusion, 
that  short  but  very  evident  sentence  of  the  Lord  in  the  gos- 
pel, "Through  your  patience  possess  your  souls;"  and  these 
words  of  the  apostle,  "Cast  not  away  your  confidence,  which 
hath  great  recompence  of  reward.  For  ye  have  need  of 
patience,  that  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God  ye  might 
receive  the  promises.  For  yet  a  very  little  while,  and  he 
that  shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.  And  the  just 
shall  live  by  faith:  and  if  he  withdraw  himself,  my  soul  shall 
have  no  pleasure  in  him.  We  are  not  of  them  which  withdraw 
ourselves  unto  perdition:  but  we  pertain  to  faith  unto  the 
winning  of  the  souP." 

But  since  patience  is  not  born  in  and  together  with  us, 
but  is  bestowed  of  God  from  above,  we  must  beseech  our 
heavenly  Father  that  he  will  vouchsafe  to  bestow  it  upon  us, 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  James  the  apostle,  who  saith"'^: 
"If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  which  giveth 
to  all  men  indifferently,  and  casteth  no  man  in  the  teeth :  and 
it  shall  be  given  him.  But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing 
wavering." 

Now  the  sound  hope  of  the  faithful  upholdeth  christian 
patience.  Hope,  as  it  is  now-a-days  used,  is  an  opinion  of 
things  to  come,  referred  commonly  as  well  to  good  as  evil 
things :  but  in  very  deed  hope  is  an  assured  expectation  or 
looking  for  of  those  things  which  are  truly  and  expressly  pro- 
mised of  God,  and  believed  of  us  by  faith.  So  then  there  is 
a  certain  relation  of  hope  to  faith,  and  a  mutual  knot  betwixt 
them  both.     Faith  believeth  that  God  said  nothing  but  truth, 

gritatem,  in  viduis  laboi'iosam  castitatem,  in  conjunctis  et  maritatis 
individuam  caritatem:  facit  humiles  in  prosperis,  in  adversis  fortes, 
contra  injurias  et  contumelias  mites;  docet  delinquentibus  cito  ignos- 
cere;  si  ipse  delinquas,  diu  et  multuni  rogare;  tentationes  expugnat, 
persecutionos  tolerat,  passiones  et  martyria  consummat.  Ipsa  est  qua3 
fidei  nostra3  fundamenta  firmitcr  munit  (Bullinger's  text  has,  ponit). 
Ipsa  est  qnte  incremcnta  spei  sublimiter  provehit.  Ipsa  actum  dirigit, 
ut  tenere  possimus  viam  Cliristi,  dum  per  ejus  tolerantiam  gradimur. 
Ipsa  efiicit  ut  perseveremus  filii  Dei,  dum  patientiam  Patris  imitamur. 
— Cypr.  0pp.  p.  219.  Oxon.  1G82.] 

[1  II(;b.  X.  3.) — 39.  Erasmus'  version.  So  also  Tyndale's  and 
Cranmer's  translations.] 

[2  Patientia  perficit,  Lat. ;  omitted  by  the  translator :  Patience 
makes  perfect ;  opus  porfoctum  habet.   Vulg.] 


III.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.     89 

and  liftcth  up  our  eyes  to  God ;  and  hope  looketh  for  those 
things  whicli  faith  hath  hcUcved.  But  how  shouldcst  thou 
look  for  aught,  unless  thou  knowcst  that  the  thing  that  thou 
lookest  for  is  promised  of  God,  and  that  thou  shalt  have  it  in 
time  convenient  ?  Faith  believeth  that  our  sins  are  forgiven 
us,  and  that  eternal  life  is  through  Christ  our  Redeemer 
prepared  for  us:  now  hope  looketh,  and  patiently  waiteth,  to 
receive  in  due  time  the  things  that  God  hath  promised  us, 
howsoever  in  the  mean  time  it  be  tossed  with  adversities. 
For  hope  doth  not  languish  nor  vanish  away,  although  it 
seeth  not  that  which  it  hopeth:  yea,  it  quaileth  not,  although 
that  things  fall  out  clean  cross  and  contrary,  as  if  the  things,  ^op^^'^of 
which  it  doth  hope,  were  nothing  so.  And  therefore  Paul  absent. 
said:  "We  are  saved  by  hope:  but  hope,  that  is  seen,  is  no  ^^2™^'"- 
hope.  For  how  can  a  man  hope  for  that  which  he  seeth? 
But  and  if  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,  then  do  we  with 
patience  abide  for  it."  Abraham  hoped  that  he  should 
receive  the  promised  land,  when  as  yet  he  possessed  not  one 
foot  of  ground  in  it,  but  saw  it  inhabited  of  most  puissant  nations. 
Moses  hoped  that  he  should  deliver  the  people  of  Israel  out  of 
Egypt,  and  place  them  in  the  land  of  promise,  when  as  yet  he 
saw  not  the  manner  and  means  how  he  should  do  it.  David 
hoped  that  he  should  reign  over  Israel,  and  yet  he  felt  the 
peril  of  Saul  and  his  servants  hanging  over  his  head^  so  that 
oftener  than  once  he  was  in  danger  of  his  life.  The  apostles 
and  holy  martyrs  of  Christ  did  hope  that  they  should  have 
eternal  life,  and  that  God  would  never  forsake  them;  and  yet 
nevertheless  they  felt  the  hatred  of  all  sorts  of  people,  they 
were  banished  their  countries,  and  lastly  were  slain  by  sundry 
torments.  So  (I  say)  hope  is  the  hope  and  looking  for  of  Hope  is 
thino;s  not  present,  and  things  not  seen ;  yea,  it  is  a  sure  and  absent  and 

O  A  o  '    «/        '  not  seen. 

most  assured  looking  for  of  things  to  come*:  and  that,  not  of 
things  whatsoever,  but  of  those  which  we  believe  in  faith ^  mllgslhL 
and^  of  those  which  are  promised  to  us  by   the  very  true,  "enL'in!' 
living,  and  eternal  God.     For  St  Peter  saith:  "Hope  perfectly 
in  the  grace  which  is  brought  unto  you'."     Now  they  hope 

[3  Saulinos  potentissiraos,  Lat. ;  the  partisans  of  Saul,  who  were 
most  powerful.] 

[*  Et  expectatio  quidem,  sed  expectatio  certa,  inio  longe  certissima, 
Lat.] 

[5  vera  fido,  Lat.]  [^  adeoquc,  Lat. ;  and  so.] 

[7  1  Pet.  i.  13,  our  Translation,  hope  "to  the  end:"  in  the   margin, 


90  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

perfectly,  which  do  without  doubting  commit  themselves  wholly 
to  the  grace  of  God,  and  do  assuredly  look  for  to  inherit  life 
everlasting. 

Furthermore,  the  apostle  Paul  calleth  hope,  as  it  were, 

[Heb.  vi.  19.]  the  safe  and  sure  anchor  of  the  soul.  And  by  how  much 
the  promise  of  God  is  the  surer,  by  so  much  is  hope  the 
more  firm  and  secure.  For  hope  is  not  the  looking  for  of 
anything  whatsoever,  but  of  faith ;  that  is,  of  the  thing  that 
faith  hath  behoved,  and  which  we  know  to  be  promised  to 
us  in  the  word  of  God.      And  therefore  doth  Paul  expound 

LHeb.  xi.  1.]  faith  by  hope,  where  he  saith  :  "  Faith  is  the  ground  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  Faith  therefore 
is,  as  it  were,  the  foundation  whereupon  hope  doth  rest ;  and 
so  God  himself,  and  his  infallible  word,  is  the  object  to  our 

[I  Tim.  i.  1.]  hope.  And  for  that  cause  Paul  calleth  God  our  hope,  and 
so  do  the  prophets  also.  To  this  belongeth  the  ninety-first 
Psalm,  where  the  faithful  crieth :  "  Thou  art  my  hope,  0 
Lord;  thou  hast  set  thine  house  very  high^"  Like  to  this 
thou  shalt  find  an  innumerable  sort  of  places  in  the  book  of 
the  Psalms.  But  hope  cannot  be  sure,  where  there  is  no 
sound  faith  and  express  promise  of  God.  Now,  since  God's 
promises  are  as  well  of  things  temporal  as  eternal,  hope  also 
is  as  well  of  things  transitory  as  everlasting. 

Hope,  the  And  as  faith  is    the   gift  of  God's   grace,   and  not  the 

gift  of  God.  nc      L      r  X  1  •         •  /• 

power  or  eiiect  of  our  own  nature ;  so  hope  is  given  us  from 
above,  and  confirmed  in  us  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  For  in 
our  looking  after  things,  there  are  both  groanings  and  long- 
ings for  them.  Temptations  assail  and  urge  us  sorely,  as 
though  the  thing  were  utterly  denied,  which  is  for  a  season 
deferred ;  or  as  though  God  knew  not  our  state  and  condition, 
because  he  seemeth  somewhiles,  and  as  it  were  for  ever,  to 
neglect  and  not  set  by  our  earnest  expectation :  wherefore 
our  hope  hath  need  of  much  consolation  and  confirmation  of 
the  Spirit  of  God ;  which,  if  it  be  sound,  sustaineth  and 
upholdeth  the  mind  of  man^  overladen  howsoever  with  very 
weak  infirmities.    And  when  the  Lord  deferrcth  his  promises, 

perfectli/  :  the  original  is  rtXeicos-.  Tyndale's,  Cranmer's,  and  the  Geneva 
Versions  all  render  it,  "  trust  perfectly  on  the  grace  that  is  brought 
unto  you."     Bullinger  has  adopted  Erasmus'  translation.] 

[1  Psal.  xci.  9,  Prayer-book  Version.] 

[2  animum  cupidum  quidcm  boni,  sed  interim  tamen,  Lat. ;  the  mind 
of  man,  eagerly  longing  after  good,  howsoever  in  the  mean  time,  &c.] 


III.]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS,      91 

and  seemeth  somewhat  too  long  either  to  neglect  our  cala-  Though  the 
mities,  or  else  to  lay  more  troubles  on  the  backs  of  us  that  tfTeVrfom- 
are  otherwise  sufficiently  afflicted ;  then  cometh  hope,  which,  promises 

■^  ■■■  unto  us  for  a 

doing  her   duty,   biddeth  us  pluck  up   our  hearts,  and  stay  '^^^^^  ll\ 
the   Lord's  leisure,   who,   as   he  cannot  possibly  hate  them  because  he 
that  -worship  him,  so  he  never  faileth  nor  in  the  least  point  and  ju^t"' 
deceiveth  them ;  for  he  himself  is  the  eternal  truth  and  ever- 
lasting goodness. 

Here  now  the  places  of  scripture,  touching  the  certainty 
of  hope,  are  very  profitable  to  teach  that  the  people  that 
hoped  in  God  were  never  confounded,  although  he  did  delay 
very  long  to  aid  them  with  his  helping  hand.  The  Lord  pro- 
miseth  the  land  of  Canaan  to  the  seed  of  Abraham  ;  but  four 
hundred  and  thirty  years  do  first  come  about,  before  he  set- 
tleth  them  in  possession  of  it ;  yea,  before  he  brought  them  to 
it,  he  led  them  whole  forty  years  about  in  the  wilderness ^ 
He  delivereth  the  Israelites  from  the  captivity  of  Babylon; 
but  not  till  seventy  years  were  spent*.  What  may  be  thought 
of  this  also,  that  God,  haA^ing  immediately  after  the  beginning 
promised  his  only  Son,  did  notwithstanding  not  send  him  till 
and  toward  the  latter  end  of  the  world  ?  The  saints  must 
therefore  still  endure,  and  always  wait  the  Lord's  good  lei- 
sure^, because  truth  cannot  possibly  fail  them,  and  all  that 
hope  in  it  are  surely  saved.  David  crieth:  "Our  fathers  Psai.xxii. 
hoped  in  thee ;  they  hoped  in  thee,  and  thou  didst  deliver 
them.     They  called  upon  thee,  and  were  saved :  they  hoped 

in  thee,  and  were  not  confounded."     And  again  :  "  The  Lord  [Psai.  xxxsv. 

o  .      a] 

is  good;  happy  is  the  man  that  hopeth  in  him."    And  agam: 

"They  that  hope  in  the  Lord  shall  be  like  mount  Sion ;  they  Psai.cxxv. 

shall  not  be   moved,   but  shall  stand   fast  for  ever."     And 

Paul,   in  his   temptations,   crieth   out  in   his    Epistle  to  the 

Philippians,  saying  :  "  I  know  that  my  affliction  shall  turn  [phu.  1. 19, 

to  my  salvation,  according  to  my  earnest  expectation  and  my 

hope,  that  in  nothing  I  shall  be  ashamed." 

Thus  much  have  I  said  hitherto,  to  teach   you  how  the  General 

faithful  do  behave  themselves  in  sundry  calamities :  for  they 

[3  per  dcscrtum  vastissimiim,  Lat.] 

[■*  Exempla  hujus  rci  in  scripturis  innumcra  sunt,  Lat.  ;  omitted  by 
the  translator.  There  are  in  the  scriptures  examples  to  this  effect 
without  number.] 

[5  hoc  potissimum  nomine,  Lat. ;  on  this  consideration  above  all.] 


92  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

despair  not,  but  confirm  their  hearts  with  assured  hope,  and 
suffer  all  evils  with  a  patient  mind,  quietly  waiting  for  the 
Lord  in  their  troubles,  who  is  the  only  hope  of  all  the  faithful. 
Now  to  the  end  of  this  I  mean  to  add  a  few  general  conso- 
lations, which  may  the  more  confirm  the  hope  of  the  faithful, 
induce  them  to  patience  in  suffering  calamities,  and  cheer  up 
their  heavy  spirits  to  all  manner  afflictions. 
Fromwhenee         First   of  all,   let  the   afflictcd  weigh   with  himself  from 

amiction  '  o 

Cometh.  whence  affliction  cometh.  Evil  men,  the  devil,  sickness,  and 
the  world,  are  they  that  afflict  us ;  but  not  without  God,  who 
suffereth  them  to  do  it.  Satan  could  not  trouble  Job,  neither 
in  goods  or  body,  but  by  God's  sufferance.  And  the  prophet 
David  crieth  :  "  Thou  art  he  that  took  me  out  of  my  mother's 
womb ;  thou  wast  my  hope,  when  I  hanged  yet  upon  my 
mother's  breasts.  I  was  left  to  thee  as  soon  as  I  was  born : 
thou   art   my    God;  my   time   is  in  thy  hand*."     And  the 

[Matt.  X.  29,  Lord  in  the  gospel  saith :  "  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for 
one  farthing  ?  and  one  of  them  lighteth  not  upon  the  ground 
without  your  Father :  yea,  even  all  the  hairs  of  your  head 
are  numbered."  Now  God,  by  whose  government  all  things 
are  ruled,  is  not  a  God  and  a  Lord  only,  but  also  a  Father 
to  mortal  men.  And  his  will  is  good  and  wholesome  to  us- 
ward,  besides  that,  whatsoever  he  doth,  he  doth  it  all  in  order 
and  justly.  But  if  the  will  of  God  be  good  toward  us,  the 
thing  cannot  choose  but  be  good  to  us,  which  happeneth  by 
the  sufferance  and  will  of  him  that  lovetli  us  so  dearly.  And 
herein  do  the  children  of  the  world  differ  much  from  the 
sons  of  God.  For  these  (I  mean  the  sons  of  God) 2,  in  com- 
forting one  another  in  their  calamities,  do  say :  Suffer,  and 
grudge  not  at  the  thing  that  thou  canst  not  alter :  it  is  God's 
will  that  it  shall  be  so,  and  no  man  can  resist  it :  suffer 
therefore  the  power  of  the  Lord,  unless  thou  wouldest  rather 
double  the  evil  that  thou  canst  not  escape.  But  the  world- 
lings, on  the  other  side^  being  demanded.  Do  they  suffer  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  ;  and,  Whether  they  submit  themselves  to 

P  Psal.  xxii.  0,  10  (Prayer-book  version),  and  xxxi.  15.] 

[2  The  translator  has  made  here  a  great  mistake;  for  BuUingernow 

proceeds  to  describe  the  conduct  and  language  of  the  children  of  this 

world,  not  of  the  sons  of  God,  under  afflictions.] 

[3  For  all  this  read.  These  (children  of  this  world).     On  the  other 

side,  is  not  in  Lat.] 


III.I       THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.     93 

God  or  no  ?  do  make  this  answer :  "  I  must  -whether  I  will 
or  no*,  since  I  cannot  withstand  it."  If  therefore  they  could 
withstand  it,  by  this  we  may  gather  that  they  assuredly 
would  \  But  the  children  of  God  do  patiently  bear  the 
hand  of  God,  not  because  they  cannot  withstand  it,  nor  be- 
cause they  must  by  compulsion  suffer  it;  but  for  because 
they  believe  that  God  is  a  just  and  merciful  Father^.  For 
therefore  they  acknowledge  and  confess,  that  God  of  his  just 
judgment  doth  persecute  the  sins  of  them,  that  have  deserved 
far  more  grievous  and  sharp  punishment  than  he  layeth  upon 
them:  they  do  acknowledge  also  that  God  doth,  as  a  merciful 
father,  chasten  them  to  the  amendment  of  their  lives  and 
safeguard  of  their  souls ;  and  therefore  do  they,  for  his  chas- 
tening of  them,  yield  him  hearty  thanks ;  and,  forsaking 
utterly  themselves  and  their  opinions,  do  wholly  commit  them- 
selves, whether  they  live  or  die,  into  the  Lord's  hands.  The 
Apostle,  going  about  to  settle  this  in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful, 
saith :  "  God  speaketh  to  you  as  to  his  sons ;  My  son,  despise  LHeb.  xii.  5 
not  thou  the  chastening  of  the  Lord,  neither  faint  when  thou 
art  rebuked  of  him :  for  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  that  he  receiveth.  If  you  endure 
chastening,  God  tendereth  you  as  his  sons ;  for  what  son  is 
he  whom  the  father  chasteneth  not  ?  But  if  ye  be  without 
chastisement,  whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards, 
and  not  sons.  Since  therefore,  when  we  had  fatliers  of  our 
flesh,  they  corrected  us,  and  we  reverenced  them ;  shall  we 
not  much  more  rather  be  in  subjection  to  the  Father  of 
spirits,  and  live?" 

Secondarily,  let  the  faithful  believer,  which  is  oppressed  The  causes 
with  calamities,  consider  and  weigh  the  causes  for  which  he  is  afflictions, 
afflicted.     For  either  he  is  troubled  and  persecuted  of  world- 
lings for  the  desire  that  he  hath  to  righteousness  and  true 
religion :  or  else  he  suffereth  due  punishment  for  his  sins  and 
offences.      Let  them  which  suffer  persecution  for  righteous- 
ness' sake  rejoice  and  give  God  thanks,  as  the  apostles  did,  [acuv.  41.] 
for  that  he  thinketh  them  worthy  to  suffer  for  the  name  of 

[•*  BuUinger  here  also  gives  the  German  phrase, — Ich  musz  wohl.] 

[5  The  Latin  is  more  lively :  Si  ergo  possis,  audio  quid  facturus  sis. 

Had  you  then  but  the  power,  your  words  tell  me  what  you  would  do.] 

[6  justum  et  patrem  benignissimum,  Lat.  ;  is  just,  and  a  most  mer- 
ciful Father.] 


94  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Christ.  For  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  said  :  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  suffer  persecution  for  righteousness'  sake ;  for  theirs  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall 
revile  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  evil 
saying  against  you  ^  for  my  sake :  rejoice  ye,  and  be  glad ; 
for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven :  for  so  persecuted  they 
the  prophets  that  were  before  you."  But  if  any  man  for  his 
sins  doth  feel  the  scourge  of  God,  let  him  acknowledge 
that  God''s  just  judgment  is  fallen  upon  him  ;  let  him  humble 
himself  under  the  mighty  hand  of  the  Lord ;  let  him  confess 
his  sins  to  God  ;  let  him  meekly  require  pardon  for  them,  and 
patiently  suffer  the  plague  which  he  with  his  sins  hath  worthily 
deserved.  Let  him  follow  the  examples  of  Daniel  and  David. 
Daniel  confesseth  his  sins  unto  the  Lord,  and  saith  :  "  We  have 
sinned,  we  have  committed  iniquity,  and  have  done  wickedly ; 
we  have  not  obeyed  thy  servants  the  prophets,  which  spake  to 
us  m  thy  name.  O  Lord,  unto  thee  doth  righteousness  belong, 
and  unto  us  open  shame.  Thou  hast  visited  and  afflicted  us, 
as  thou  didst  foretell  by  Moses  thy  servant."  And  David, 
when  through  Absalom's  treason  he  was  compelled  to  forsake 
Hierusalem  and  go  in  exile,  said  to  the  priests  which  bare  the 
ark  after  him:  "Carry  back  the  ark  of  God  into  the  city 
again.  If  I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  he  will 
bring  me  back  again,  and  will  shew  me  both  himself  and  his 
tabernacle.  But  if  he  thus  say,  I  am  not  delighted  in  thee  2; 
then,  here  am  I ;  let  him  do  with  me  what  seemeth  good  in 
his  eyes."  And  verily,  it  is  much  more  better  and  expedient 
to  be  punished  in  this  world,  and  after  this  life  to  live 
for  ever,  than  to  live  here  without  afflictions,  and  in  another 
world  to  suffer  everlasting  pains.  Paul,  verily,  doth  plainly 
say  :  "  When  we  are  judged,  we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord, 
that  we  should  not  be  damned  with  the  world."  And  the  very 
end  of  all  chastenings  and  calamities,  wherewith  the  saints  are 
exercised,  tendeth  to  nothing  else,  but  that,  by  despising  and 
treading  down  the  world,  they  may  amend  their  lives,  return 
to  the  Lord,  and  so  be  saved.  But  touching  the  end  of 
afflictions,  we  have  spoken  of  it  before. 

Furthermore  the  men,  that  bear  the  yoke  of  afflictions, 

[1  mentientes,  Lat. ;  speaking  falsely.] 

P  ncque  mihi  gratus  es,  Lat.  omitted ;  neither  art  thou  pleasing  to 
me.] 


III.]     THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.      95 

do  lay  before  themselves  the  plain  and  ample  promises  of  God,  The  promises 

,.,  ,„  .  f  n      1  •  1  made  to  the 

from  which,  and  from  the  examples  of  the  saints,  they  never  amicted. 
turn  their  eyes.      There  arc  innumerable  examples  of  them 
which  have  felt  God's  helping  hand  ready  in  all  needs  to  aid 
and  deliver  them.     Now  our  good  God  doth  promise  to  help 
and  deliver,  not  them  only  which  are  afflicted  for  righteousness' 
sake,  but  them  also  whom  he  doth  visit  for  their  faults  and 
offences.    For  David  saith  :  "  The  Lord  doth  heal  the  contrite  [Psai.  cxwii. 
of  heart-* :  The  Lord  doth  loose  them  that  arc  bound  in  chains  :  f,  a.  and  cui. 
The  Lord  giveth  sight  unto  the  blind :  The  Lord  setteth  up 
again  them  that  do  fall.      He  is  not  angry  for  ever ;   neither 
doth  he  always  chide.     He  dealeth  not  with  us  after  our  sins, 
nor  rewardeth  us  after  our  iniquities.      And  how  wide  the 
east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he  set  our  sins  from  us." 
To  this  belongeth  the   whole  thirtieth  chapter  of  Jeremy''s 
prophecy.     And  Paul  doth  bear  witness  to  this,  and  saith  : 
"As  the  afflictions  of  Christ  are  many  in  us,  so  is  our  comfort  [2  cor.  i.  5.] 
great  through  Christ^." 

Neither  are  we  without  examples  enough  to  prove  this 
same  by,  and  to  lay  before  our  eyes  the  present  delivery  of 
the  saints,  and  the  repentance  of  sinners  in  extreme  calamities. 
Our  ancestors,  the  patriarchs,  Noe  and  Lot,  with  their  families, 
were  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God  delivered  from  the  deluge, 
that  drowned  all  creatures  under  the  heavens,  and  the  hor- 
rible fire  that  fell  upon  Sodom.  Jacob  and  Joseph,  being 
wrapped  in  sundry  tribulations,  were  by  their  merciful  God 
wound  out^  and  rid  from  all  :  even  as  also  the  children 
of  Israel  were  brought  forth  and  delivered  from  the  servile 
bondage  of  Pharao  in  Egypt''.  The  people  of  Israel  did  in 
the  wilderness  under  their  guides  and  judges'^  sin  often  and 
grievously  against  the  Lord,  for  which  they  were  punished 
roundly,  and  sharply  scourged ;  but  they  were  quickly  de- 
livered again  by  the  Lord,  so  oft  as  they  did  acknowledge 
their  sins,  and  turn  themselves  to  him  again.  There  are 
also  notable  peculiar^  examples  of  God's  dehverance  of  his 
people  in  David,  Josaphat,  Ezechias,   Manasses,   and  many 

[^  et  obligat  contritiones  eorum,  Lat.  omitted;  andbindeth  up  their 
wounds.] 

[^  prccsentissimum,  Lat. ;  most  ready.]  [5  explicantur,  Lat.] 

[6  piano  ferrca,  Lat.  omitted  ;  which  was  truly  u'on.] 

[}  sub  Judicibus  ct  Regibus,  Lat.] 

[8  peculiaria  sed  egregia,  Lat.] 


96  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

God"S'e!'°^  other.    There  are  to  be  seen  in  the  gospel  innumerable  places, 

liverance.  "where  Christ  delivered  his  professors  ^  from  sin,  from  diseases, 
from  perils,  and  from  the  devil.  In  the  Acts  of  the  apostles 
there  are  found  most  excellent  patterns  of  present  delivery  by 
the  mighty  hand  of  God.  The  apostles  are  imprisoned,  and 
fast  bound  in  fetters ;  but  they  are  loosed  and  brought  forth 
by  the  angel  of  God,  and  placed  in  the  temple  to  preach  the 

[Acu  V.  18—  gospel  openly.  Peter  likewise  is  delivered  out  of  prison, 
when  Agrippa  had  determined  the  next  day  following  to  make 

[Acts  xii.  6-  an  end  of  and  dispatch  him.  The  apostle  Paul,  being  op- 
pressed with  an  infinite  sort  of  calamities,  did  always  feel  the 
present  hand  of  God  at  all  times  ready  to  rid  him  out  of 
misery  :  and  setting  this  tribulation  and  dehvery  of  his  for 

[2Tim. iii.  an  example  to  all  the  faithful,  he  saith  to  Timothy:  "Thou 
knowest  my  persecution  and  afflictions^,  which  came  to  me  at 
Antioch,  at  Iconium,  at  Lystra;  which  persecutions  I  suffered 
patiently :  but  from  them  all  the  Lord  delivered  me.  Yea, 
and  all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  perse- 
cution." Many  more  examples  doth  the  same  apostle  reckon 
up  together  in  the  eleventh  chapter  to  the  Hebrews.  All 
this,  I  say,  do  the  saints  consider,  and  in  time  of  temptation 
and  affliction  do  comfort  and  strengthen  themselves  therewith. 

[Rom.  XV.  4.]  For  so  doth  Paul  teach  us,  where  he  saith;  "Whatsoever 
is  written,  for  our  learning  is  it  written,  that  through  patience 
and  comfort  of  the  scriptures  we  might  have  hope. 

The  Lords  Bcsido  this  also,  the  faithful  sort  call  to  their  minds  the 

cominana- 

bllring^^he    commaudmcnts  of  Christ  our  Lord,  wherewith  he,  commend- 
cross.  jjjg  patience  unto  us,  hath  laid  the  cross   upon  us  all.     For 

fMatt.  xvi.  in  the  gospel  he  saith :  "If  any  man  will  go  after  me,  let 
him  forsake  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me. 
For  whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  whosoever 
shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  save  it.  For  what  doth 
it  advantage  a  man,  to  win  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
own  soul  ?  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  for  a  ransom  of  his 
soul?  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father  with  his  angels  :  and  then  shall  he  reward  every 
man  according  to  his  work."  And  again,  in  another  place 
he  saith :  "  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father, 
and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters, 

[I  his  professors,  not  in  the  Latin.] 

[2  patientiam  afllictionesque,  Lat. ;  my  patience  and  afflictions.] 


Ill,]      THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.      97 

yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  lie  cannot  be  my  disciple.      And  [  uiue  xi.  20, 
whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  mo,  ho 
cannot    be    my    disciple."       After   which    words    the    Lord 
bringeth  in  certain   parables,    by   which  he   tcacheth  us  to 
make  trial  of  our  ability  before  we  receive  the  profession  of 
the    gospel.      To   the   precepts^  of   their  master  Christ  the 
faithful  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,    had   an  especial  eye,  ex- 
horting us    to    the   patient  bearing  of  the  cross  of    Christ. 
"  For  Christ,"  saith  Peter,  "was  afflicted  for  us,  leaving  to  us  iPet.ii.  21.] 
an  example,  that  we   should  follow*  his  steps."      And  Paul 
said:   "Through  many  tribulations  we  must  enter  into  the  [Acuxiv.22.] 
kingdom  of  God." 

Another  comfort  that  the  faithful  have  in  their  afflictions  The  time  of 
is  this,  that  the  time  of  affliction  is  short ;  that  the  joy  and  sho'rt.'but'the 
reward  in  the  world  to  come  is  unspeakably  far  more  large  ample  and 
and  excellent  than  the  tribulation  of  this  life  is  troublesome, 
so  that  there  can  be  no  comparison  betwixt  the  joy  of  the 
one  and  grief  of  the  other :  and  lastly,  that  our  good  God 
doth  not  lay  such  burdens  on  us  as  we  are  not  able  possibly 
to  bear.      Touching  all   which  points,   I  think  it  convenient 
here  to  rehearse  proofs  out  of  the  scriptures,  to  prove  them 
true.    St  Peter  calleth  the  time  of  affliction  short,  or  momen- 
tary^.    And  the  prophet  Esay,  or  the  Lord  rather  in  Esay's 
prophecy,  long  before  Peter's  time,  did  say  :  "  Go,  my  people,  [isai.  xxvi. 
enter  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  the  doors  after  thee ;  hide  ^**-^ 
thyself  a  little   while'',  until   mine  indignation  be   overpast." 
Paul  also   saith:  "The  fathers   of  your  flesh  did  for  a  few  [^ueb. xu. 
days  chasten  you  after  their  own  pleasure  ;  but  the  Father 
of  Spirits  doth  (for  a  short  time)  correct  you  to  your  profit, 
that  ye  might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness.      But  no  chas- 
tising for  the  present  seemeth  to  be  joyous,   but  grievous : 
nevertheless  afterward  it  bringeth  the  quiet  fruit  of  righteous- 
ness to  them  that  are  exercised  thereby."      Again  he  saith : 
"  We  suffer  with  Christ,  that  with  him  we  may  be  glorified. 
For  I  am  certainly  persuaded  that  the  afflictions  of  this  time 
are  not  comparable  to  the  glory  that  shall  be  shewed  upon 
us.     For  the  momentany  lightness  of  our  affliction  doth  won- 
derfully, above  all  measure,  bring  forth  to  us  an  everlasting 

[■"•  Ad  prscccpta  ccrta,  Lat.]  [■*  insoqueremini,  Lat.] 

[->  1  Pet.  i.  G.     ad  brevo  tempus,  Erasmus'  translation,  which  Bul- 
linger  adopts.]  [c  paululum  vel  ad  momentum,  Lat.] 

7 
[bullinger,  II.] 


98  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

weight  of  glory ;  while  we  look  not  for  the  things  that  are 
seen,  but  the  things  that  are  not  seen :  for  the  things  that 
are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the  things  that  are  not  seen  are 
eternaP."     Again,  in  his  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  the 

[icor.x.  13.]  same  Apostle  saith :  "God  is  faithful,  which  shall  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  you  are  able ;  but  shall  with 
the  temptation  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to 
bear  it."  But  if  it  so  happen,  that  the  Lord  doth  seem  to 
us  to  extend  our  tribulation  longer  than  justice  would  seem 
to  require,  then  must  we  by  and  by  remember,  that  we  may 
not  prescribe  to  God  any  end  of  his  will,  but  must  permit 
him  freely  to  afdict  us^  without  all  controlment,  so  much,  so 
long,  and  by  such  means,  as  shall  seem  to  be  best  to  his 
godly  wisdom.  He  who  is  himself  the  eternal  wisdom,  and 
loveth  us  men  entirely  well,  doth  know  well  enough  his  time 
and  season,  when  to  make  an  end  of  our  miseries,  and  rid 
us  from  afflictions.  There  are  in  the  scriptures  sundry  ex- 
amples to  comfort  the  men  whose  afflictions  endure  for  any 

[M«kv.25,  iQjjg  time.  The  woman  in  the  gospel  was  troubled  with  an 
issue  of  blood  by  the  space  of  twelve  years,  which  had  almost 
driven  her  to  utter  desperation  of  her  health's  recovery. 
Another  lay  beddred^  whole  eighteen  years.      By  the  pool 

[johnv.  Bethesda*  lay  the  silly^  creature,  who  had  been  diseased  eight 
and  thirty  years.  This  space,  surely,  was  very  troublesome. 
B.ut  yet  at  last  they*"  were  restored  to  health  again  by  God, 
who  knoweth  best  at  what  time  and  season  his  help  is  most 
expedient  and  profitable  for  mankind.  Let  us  therefore 
wholly  submit  ourselves  to  his  good,  just,  and  most  wise 
will,  to  be  delivered  when  and  how  he  shall  think  best. 

No  afflictions         But  the  chiefost  comfort  and  greatest  hope  in  tribulation 

do  separate       .  „  .  .,   ,  , 

thegodi^  IS,  that  not  any  lorce  or  misery  can  possibly  separate  the 
Go.f''"'*  faithful  and  elect  servants  of  God  from  God  himself.  For 
[John  X        the  Lord  in  the  gospel  crieth  out,  and  saith  :  "  My  sheep  hear 

27 -3U.]' 

[1  Rom.  viii.  17,  18.  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18.    Erasmus'  translation.] 

[2  Su0e  manui  subditos,  Lat.  omitted;  who  are  subject  to  his  hand.] 

[3  Luke  xiii.  11.     Dccubuit  contracta,  Lat.] 

[4  Ad  probaticam  piscinam,  Lat. ;  so  the  Vulgate,  est  autcm  Jcro- 
Bolymis  probatica  piscina :  and  the  Douay  Version ;  Now  there  is  at 
Jerusalem  a  pond,  called  Probatica.  Bethcsda  is  not  in  BuUingcr's 
original.] 

[5  silly,  weak,  poor,  Lat.  miser.] 

["  onmibus,  Lat.;  all  these  were.] 


III.]     THE   EIGHTH   I'UECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.      9U 

my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me  ;  and  I  give 
them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall 
any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  ^My  Father,  which  gave 
them  me,  is  greater  than  all ;  and  no  man  is  able  to  take  them 
out  of  my  Father's  hand.  I  and  my  Father  am"  one."  Here- 
unto belongeth  that  outcry*^  of  St  Paul,  which  he  useth  to  the 
encouragement  of  us  Christians,  where  he  saith  :  "  Who  shall  ^"'"-  ^"^^ 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ^  ?  Shall  tribulation,  or 
anguish,  or  persecution,  or  hunger,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or 
sword  ?  As  it  is  written.  For  thy  sake  are  we  killed  all  day 
long,  and  are  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  Nevertheless, 
we  overcome  in  all  these  things  through  him  that  loved  us. 
For  I  am  sure,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  rule, 
nor  power,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height, 
nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesu  our  Lord." 

The  saints,  I  confess,  iu  their  calamities  do  feel  grief  and  oiscom- 

T    •  •  1      •         T  modities 

many  discommodities;  but  so  yet  that  even  m  their  discom- that  the 

J  ^  '  «/  _   _  saints  suffer 

modities  they  have  far  many  more  commodities :    they  are  pensXwth 

therefore  diminished  one  way,  but  augmented  another  way,  modities."' 

so   that  the  cross  of  theirs  is  not  their  destruction,  but  an 

exercise  for  them  and  a  wholesome  medicine.     And  therefore 

I  think  that  that  same  worthy  and  golden  sentence  of  St  Paul 

can  never  be  too  often  beaten  into  our  minds,  where  he  saith  : 

"  AVe  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  are  we  not  without  t^  cor.  iv. 

shift ;  we  are  in  poverty,  but  not  in  extreme  poverty ;   wg 

suffer  persecution,  but  are  not  forsaken  therein ;    we  are  cast 

down,    but  we    perish  not."      The  faithful  therefore    do  in 

this  world  lose  these  their  earthly  riches  ;  but  do  they  thereby 

lose  their  faith  ?     Lose   they   their  upright  and  holy   life  ? 

Or  lose  they  their  riches'"  of  the  inner  man,  which  are  the 

true  riches  in  the  sight  of  God  ?    The  apostle  crieth  :  "  God-  [i_pm.  vi.  6 

liness  is  a  great  lucre  with  a  mind  content  with  that  that  it 

hath.     For  we  brought  nothing  into   the  world,  and  it    is 

certain  that  we  may  carry  nought  away :  but  having  food 

and  raiment  we  must  therewith  be  content."    And  the  Lord, 

["  sumus,  Lat.  ;  arc] 

[8  tripudium  ac  cclcusma,  Lat.;  triumph  and  encouragement.] 
[9  a  dilectione  Dei,  Lat.  and  Erasmus,  from  the  love  of  God:  but 
the  Vulgate  has,  a  charitatc  Christi.j 
[10  bona,  Lat. ;  good  things.] 

7—2 


100  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

verily,  who  of  his  goodness  hath  created  heaven  and  earth 
and  all  that  is  therein  for  the  use  of  men,  which  even  feedeth 
the  ravens'  young  ones,  will  not  cause  the  just  man  to  die 
with  hunger  and  penury.  ]\Ioreover,  that  man  doth  not  lose 
his  treasure  in  this  world,  which  gathereth  treasure  as  the 
Lord  hath  commanded  him;  with  whom  the  faithful  know  that 
a  most  wealthy  treasure  is  laid  up  in  heaven  for  them,  which 
are  in  this  world  spoiled  of  their  terrestrial  goods  for  their 
Lord  and  master's  sake.  That  worthy  and  notable  servant 
[Job i. 21.]  of  God,  Job,  doth  cry:  "Naked  I  came  out  of  my  mother's 
womb,  and  naked  shall  I  turn  to  the  earth  again  ^-  the  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ;  as  the  Lord  pleased,  so 
is  it  happened  2.  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
To  deny  the  Last  of  all,  it  is  manifest,  that  to  deny  the  truth,  thereby 

the  way  "to     to  oscapc  porsecutiou,  is  not  the  way  to  keep  our  wealth  and 
goods.  quiet  state,   but   rather   the   means  to  lose  them ;    yea,  by 

so  doing  we  are  made  infamous  to  all  good  men  of  every 
age  and  nation.  For  we  see  that  they  which  would  not  for 
Christ  and  the  cause  of  his  truth  hazard  their  riches,  but 
chose  rather  by  dissimulation  and  renouncing  of  the  truth 
to  keep  their  worldly  wealth^,  did  retain  for  ever  infamous 
reproach,  and  daily  augment  most  terrible  torments,  which 
vexed  horribly  their  guilty  conscience,  losing  nevertheless  in 
the  devil's  name  the  wealth  which  they  would  not  once  hazard  in 
the  cause  of  their  Saviour^.  But  they,  on  the  other  side,  which 
jeoparded  themselves  and  all  their  substance  in  the  quarrel  of 
Christ,  despising  manfully  all  dangers  that  could  happen,  did 
always  find  a  sweet  and  pleasant  comfort,  which  strengthened 
the  minds  of  their  afflicted  bodies.  For  they  cry  with  the 
apostle:  "We  have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  we  are, 
therewith  to  be  content.  We  know  how  to  be  low,  we  know 
also  how  to  exceed :  every  where  and  in  all  things  we  are 
instructed  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  have 
plenty  and  to  suffer  need.  We  can  do  all  things  through 
Christ   who   strengtheneth  us."     They  know  that  the  same 

[1  Heb,  nS'ki^,  thither,  Auth.  Vcr.  Cyprian  quotes  it,— naked  also 
shall  I  go  under  the  earth.     Adv.  Jud.  Lib.  in.  cap.  6.] 

[2  So  the  Vulgate  and  Coverdale,  The  Lord  hath  done  his  pleasure : 
and  Cyprian.] 

[3  vel  retincio  vel  augcre,  Lat. ;  cither  to  keep,  or  to  increase.] 

[*  non  jam  in  nomine  Christi,  sed  in  nomine  diaboli,  Lat.] 


[Phil.  iv. 
11-13] 


III.]     THE    EIGHTH  I'llECEPT   OF    THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.     101 

apostle  hatli  said  :  "Ye  have  suftered  with  joy  the  spoihng  of  [lub.  x.  34.] 
vour  goods,  knowing  that  yo  have  in  heaven  a  far  more  • 
excellent  substance,  which  will  endure."  For  the  Lord  in 
the  gospel  also  said :  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  is  no 
man  that  hath  forsaken  house,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or 
father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  sake, 
and  the  gospel's,  but  he  shall  receive  an  hundred  fold  now  at 
this  present,  with  persecutions ;  and  in  the  world  to  come 
eternal  hfe."  Mark  x.  So  then  the  saints  and  faithful  ser- 
vants of  God  are  oppressed  with  servitude  in  this  present 
world :  but  therewithal  they  know  and  consider  that  the 
Lord  himself  became  a  servant  for  us  men^ ;  whereby*'  they, 
that  are  servants  in  this  world,  are  made  free  through 
Christ,  and  by  terrestrial  servitude  a  way  is  made  to  celestial 
liberty. 

The  faithful  are  exiled,  or  banished  their  country  :  but  Affliction  in 
the  heathen  poet  saith,  "  A  valiant-hearted  man  takes  every 
country  for  his  own'^."  Verily,  in  what  place  of  the  world 
soever  we  are,  we  are  in  exile  as  banished  men.  Our  Father 
is  in  heaven,  and  therefore  heaven  is  our  country.  Where- 
fore, when  we  die,  we  are  delivered  from  exile,  and  placed  in 
the  heavenly  country  and  true  felicity.  In  like  manner, 
whom  the  tyrant  killeth  with  hunger  and  famine,  those  doth  Afflidionin 
he^  rid  of  innumerable  evils.  And  again,  whomsoever  famine 
doth  not  utterly  kill  but  only  torment,  them  doth  it  teach  to 
live  more  sparingly,  and  afterward  to  fast  the  longer  and 
devoutly.  Now  in  this  case  the  faithful,  which  sufter  famine, 
do  call  to  remembrance  the  examples  of  the  ancient  saints,  of 
whom  when  Paul  speaketh,  he  saith  :  "  They  wandered  about  [?eb.xi. 
in  sheep  skins  and  goat  skins ;  being  destitute,  afflicted,  and 
tormented ;  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy :  they 
wandered  in  wilderness,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens,  and 
caves  of  the  earth."  Christians  also  consider,  that  the  state 
of  famished  Lazarus,  who  died  among  the  tongues  of  the 
dogs  that  licked  his  blains,  was  far  better  than  the  surfeiting 
of  the  strut-bellied  glutton,  who  being  once  dead  was  buried 

[5  prius,  Lat. ;  before  us.] 

[6  adeoque,  Lat. ;  and  that  so.] 

[■?  Omnc  solum  forti  patiia  est.     Ovid.  Fast.  Lib.  I.  493.] 

[8  ecu  morbus  aliquis,  Lat.  omitted;  like  some  disease] 


102  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

in  help.  Moreover,  it  is  to  be  abhorred,  detested,  and  (yet) 
lamented  of  all  men,  to  see  a  crew  of  barbarous  villains  and 
unruly  soldiers  abuse  perforce,  not  honest  matrons  only,  but 
tender  virgins  also,  that  are  not  fit  yet  nor  ripe  for  a  man. 
But  the  greatest  comfort  that  we  have  in  so  great  a  mischief 
and  intolerable  ignominy  is,  that  chastity  is  a  virtue  of  the 
mind.  For  if  it  be  a  treasure  of  the  mind,  then  is  it  not  lost 
though  the  body  be  abused  :  even  as  in  like  sort  the  faith  of 
a  man  is  not  thought  to  be  overcome,  although  the  whole 
body  be  consumed  with  fire.  And  chastity  is  not  lost,  verily, 
where  the  body  is  defloured ;  because  the  will  of  the  abused 
body  persevereth  still  to  use  that  chastity,  and  doth  what 
it  may  to  keep  it  undefiled.  For  the  body  is  not  holy  there- 
fore, because  the  members  thereof  are  undefiled,  or  because  the 
secret  parts  thereof  are  not  undecently  touched  :  considering 
that  the  body,  being  wounded  by  many  casualties,  may  suifer 
filthy  violence ;  and  since  physicians  for  health's  sake  may  do 
to  the  members  the  thing  that  otherwise  is  unseemly  to  the 
eyes.  Wherefore  so  long  as  the  purpose  of  the  mind  (by 
which  the  body  must  be  sanctified)  remaineth,  the  violent  deed 
of  another's  filthy  lust  taketh  not  from  the  body  that  chastity, 
which  the  persevering  continency  of  the  defloured  body  doth 
seek  to  preserve.  And  in  the  meanwhile  there  is  no  doubt 
but  the  most  just  Lord  will  sharply  punish  those  shameless 
beasts  and  monsters  of  nature,  which  dare  undertake  to 
commit  such  wickedness. 

The  saints  are  confirmed  in  their  tribulation  by  the  innu- 
merable examples  of  their  fore-fathers ;  whereby  they  gather, 
that  it  is  no  new  thing  that  happeneth  unto  them,  since  God 
from  the  beginning  hath  with  many  afiiictions  and  tribulations 
exercised  his  servants  and  the  church,  his  spouse,  whom  he 
loveth  so  dearly.  And  here  I  think  it  to  be  very  expedient, 
and  available  to  the  comforting  of  afflicted  minds,  to  reckon  up 
the  best  and  choicest  examples  that  are  in  scriptures  :  of 
which  there  are  many  both  private  and  public.  The  chances 
and  pilgrimages  of  the  latter  patriarchs  (because  I  mean  not 
to  speak  of  them  before  the  deluge^)  are  those,  which  I  call 

[1  scpulti  ct  demorsi  in  inferos,  Lat. ;  who  was  buried,  and  plunged 
into  lioll.] 

[2  vetcrum,  Lat.] 


III.]    THE   EIGHTH  PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.     103 

private  examples.      For  our  ftithcr  Abraham  is  by  the  mouth  Examples 
of  God  called  from  out  of  Ur  of  the  Chaldeans  to  go  into  in  the 

"-^  patnarcns. 

Palestine,  from  whence  he  is  driven  by  a  dearth  into  Egypt, 
■where  again  he  is  put  to  his  shifts,  and  feeleth  many  pinches. 
After  that,  when  he  came  again  into  Palestine,  even  till  the 
last  hour  of  his  Ufe,  he  was  never  without  some  one  mishap  or 
other,  to  trouble  and  vex  his  mind.  His  son  Isaac  felt  famine 
also,  and  had  one  misfortune^  upon  another's  neck  to  plague 
him  withal.  lie  sinneth  not  that  calleth  Jacob-*  the  wretchedest 
man  that  Uved  in  that  age,  considering  the  infinite  miseries 
wherewith  he  was  vexed.  "While  he  was  yet  in  his  mother's 
womb  and  saw  no  light,  he  began  to  strive  with  his  brother 
Esau:  afterwards,  in  his  stripling"'s  age,  he  had  much  ado  to 
escape  his  murdering  hands  by  exiling  himself  from  his  father's 
house  into  the  land  of  Syria;  where  again  he  was  kept  in  ure 
and  exercised  sharply  in  the  school  of  afflictions^.  At  his 
back-return  into  his  country  he  was  wrapped  in  and  beset 
with  perils  enough,  and  endless  evils.  The  detestable  wicked- 
ness of  his  untoward  children  had  been  enough  to  have  killed 
him  in  his  age".  In  his  latter  days,  for  lack  of  food,  he  goetli 
down  as  a  stranger  into  the  land  of  Egypt,  where  in  true 
faith  and  patience  he  gave  up  the  ghost '^.  Of  Moses,  the  great 
and  faithful  servant  of  God,  the  scripture  testifieth,  that  in 
his  youth  he  was  brought  up  in  the  Egyptian  court;  but,  when 
he  came  to  age,  he  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharao's 
daughter,  choosing  rather  to  be  afflicted  with  the  people  of 
God,  than  to  enjoy  the  temporal  commodities  of  this  sinful 
world^  because  he  counted  the  rebuke  of  Christ  greater  riches  ^^^gj- 
than  all  the  treasures  of  the  Egyptians.  The  same  Moses  was 
grievously  afflicted,  first  by  Pharao  and  his  princes,  and  after 
that  again  by  them  of  his  own  household,  and  his  own  country 
people  whom  he  had  brought  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt. 
David  also,  the  anointed  of  the  Lord,  was  troubled  a  great 
while  with  his  master  Saul,  that  was  mad  upon  him  to  have 

['*  domestica  infortunia,  Lat. ;  in  his  family.] 

[*  a  Domino  Israelem  cognominatum,  Lat.  omitted;  whom  God 
surnamed  Israel.] 

[^  in  exquisitissima  affllctionum  pala;stra  seu  oflicina,  Lat.] 
[c  optimum  senem  tantum  non  enecant,  Lat.] 
[7  sanctum  Deo  tradit  spiritum,  Lat.] 
[3  peccati,  Lat. ;  of  sin.] 


104  THE  THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

brought  him  to  his  end:  but  having  at  the  last  (for  all  that 
Saul  could  do)  obtained  the  kingdom,  afflictions  ceased  not  to 
follow  him  still;  for,  after  many  troublesome  broils,  he  was  by 
Absalom  thrust  beside  his  kingdom,  and  very  straitly  dealt 
withal:  and  yet  in  the  end  God  of  his  goodness  did  set  him 
up  again, 
chmtand  j^  i\yQ  new  Testament,  Christ  himself,  our  Lord  and  Sa- 

untHsf'  viour,  and  that  elect  vessel,  his  apostle  Paul,  are  excellent 
examples  for  us  to  take  comfort  by.  The  Lord  in  his  infancy 
was  compelled  to  fly  the  treason  and  murdering  hands  of  cruel 
tyrants;  in  all  his  hfetime  he  was  not  free  from  calamities; 
and  at  his  death  he  was  hanged  among  thieves.  And  Paul, 
[2Cor.xi.  speaking  of  himself,  doth  say:  "If  any  other  be  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  I  am  more ;  in  labours  more  abundantly,  in  stripes 
above  measure,  in  imprisonments  more  plenteously,  in  death  ^ 
often.  Of  the  Jews  five  times  received  I  forty  stripes  save 
one;  thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods,  once  stoned;  thrice  I  suf- 
fered shipwreck ;  a  day  and  a  night  have  I  been  in  the  depth ; 
in  journeying  often ;  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers, 
in  perils  of  mine  own  nation,  in  perils  among  the  heathen,  in 
perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the 
sea,  in  perils  among  false  brethren;  in  labour  and  travail,  in 
watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold 
and  nakedness.  Beside  those  things  that  outwardly  come 
unto  me,  the  trouble,  which  daily  lieth  upon  me,  is  the  care  of 
all  the  churches."  These,  I  say,  are  private  examples. 
Examples  of  We  havo  a  public  example  in  the  church  of  Israel  afflicted 
in  Egypt,  many  times  troubled  under  their  kmgs  and  judges, 
and  lastly  led  captive  by  the  Assyrians  and  men  of  Babylon. 
Afterward,  being  brought  home  again  by  the  goodness  of  God, 
they  pass  many  brunts,  and  are  sharply  afflicted  under  the 
monarchies  of  the  Persians,  Greeks,  and  Ilomans.  What  shall 
The  ten  hor-  I  say  of  the  apostolic  church  of  Christ,  which,  even  when  it 
secution'sof  first  began,  like  an  infant,  to  creep  by  the  ground-,  did  pro- 
of cLilL  sently  feel  the  cross,  and  yet  flourished  still  in  those  afflictions, 
which  even  to  this  day  it  doth  patiently  sufter  ?  Histories 
make  mention  of  ten  persecutions,  wherewith  the  church  of 
Christ  (from  the  eighth  year  of  Nero,  till  the  reign  of  Con- 
stantino the  great,  by  the  space  of  three  hundred  and  eighteen 

[1  in  mortibus,  Lat.] 

[2  ab  ijisis  incunabulis,  is  BuUingcr's  j^hrasc] 


afflictions  of 
the  old 
church. 


III.]    THE   EIGHTH   rilECEPT   01"   THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.    105 

years^)  was  terribly  shaken  and  sharply  afflicted,  without  inter- 
mission or  respite  of  time  for  it  to  breathe  in,  and  rest  itself 
from  troublesome  broils  and  merciless  slaughters'. 

The  first  persecution  of  those  ten^  did  Xero,  that  beast 
and  lecherous  monster,  raise  against  the  Christians,  wherein, 
it  is  said,  that  Peter  and  Paul,  the  Apostles  of  Christ,  were 
brought  to  their  endings.  The  second  was  moved  by  Fla- 
vius  Domitianus,  which  banished  the  Apostle  John  into  the 
Isle  of  Patmos.  The  third  persecutor  after  Nero  was 
Trajan  the  emperor,  who  published  most  terrible  edicts 
against  the  Christians :  under  him  was  the  notable  martyr 
and  preacher  Ignatius,  with  many  other  excellent  servants  of 
Christ,  cast  to  wild  beasts,  and  cruelly  torn  in  pieces.  The 
fourth  persecution  did  the  Emperor  Yerus  most  bloodily  stir 
up  through  all  France  and  Asia ;  wherein  the  blessed  Poly- 
carpus  was  burnt  in  fire  alive,  and  Irena)us,  the  bishop  of 
Lyons,  was  headed  with  the  swords  In  the  fifth  persecution 
of  the  church  of  Christ,  Septimius  Severus  through  many 
provinces  did  bloodily  crown  many  a  saint  with  the  garland 
of  martyrdom :  among  whom  is  reckoned  Leonidas  the  father 
of  Origenes.  Julius  Maximinus  was  the  sixth  after  Nero  that 
played  the  tyrant  against  the  church.  In  that  persecution 
the  preachers  and  ministers  of  the  churches  were  especially 
murdered :  among  whom,  beside  an  innumerable  sort  of  other 
excellent  men,  Pamphilus  and  Maximus,  two  notable  lights, 

[3  Tho  persecution  in  Nero's  reign  began  a.d.  64,  (ho  becamo 
emperor  a.d.  54),  and  Constantino  succeeded  Maxcntius,  a.u.  312;  so 
that  the  interval  is  248  years.  See  Burton's  Hist,  of  Christ.  Church, 
Chap.  V.  p.  128,  and  Chap.  xvii.  p.  392.  Lond.  1S45.] 

[4  Bullinger's  words  arc:  Concessis  tamen  nonnunquam  intervallis 
quibusdam,  satis  quidcm  accisis,  quibus  respiraret  ecclesia :  although 
indeed  occasionally  some  intervals  were  granted,  short  enough  in  good 
sooth,  wherein  the  church  might  take  breath.] 

[5  Primam  (persecutionem)  quippe  computant  (nonnulli)  a  Nerono 
qua)  facta  est,  secundam  a  Domitiano,  a  Trajano  tertiam,  quartam  ab 
Antonino,  a  Severo  quintam,  scxtam  a  Maxiniino,  a  Dccio  scptimam, 
octavam  a  Valeriano,  ab  Aureliano  nonam,  deciniam  a  Dioclctiano  et 
Maximiano. — Aug.  de  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  xviii.  cap.  52.  Par.  1531.  Tom.  v. 
fol.  251.  See  Euscb.  Eccl.  Hist.  in.  IS,  3G;  iv.  15;  vi.  1,  41;  vn.  11, 
30,  &c.] 

[6  We  have  no  account  of  the  death  of  Irenasus  upon  which  wc  can 
absolutely  depend ;  and  there  is  a  doubt  whether  he  was  martyred  or 
not.] 


106  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [SERM. 

were  especially  slaughtered.  The  seventh  blood-sucker  after 
beastly  Nero  was  Decius  the  Emperor,  who  proclaimed  most 
horrible  edicts  against  the  faithful.  In  his  time  was  St 
Laurence,  a  deacon  of  the  church,  broiled  upon  a  grate-iron; 
and  the  renowned  Virgin  Apollonia,  for  her  profession,  did 
leap  into  the  fire  alive.  Licinius  Valerianus  was  as  cruel 
as  the  rest  in  executing  the  eighth  persecution  against  the 
faithful  professors  of  Christ  and  his  gospel.  In  that  broil 
were  slain  many  millions  of  Christians,  and  especially  St 
Cornelius  and  Cyprian,  the  most  excellent  doctors  in  all  the 
world.  Valerius  Aurelianus  did  rather  purpose,  than  put 
in  execution,  the  ninth  persecution  :  for  a  thunder  rushed 
before  him  to  the  great  terror  of  them  that  were  about  him; 
and,  shortly  after,  he  was  slain  as  he  journeyed,  and  so  his 
tyranny  by  his  death  was  ended.  But  Caius  Aurelius  Va- 
lerius Diocletianus,  Maximinianus  Maxentius,  and  Marcus 
Julius  Licinius,  being  nothing  terrified  with  this  horrible 
example,  did  raise  the  tenth  persecution  against  the  church 
of  Christ,  which,  enduring  by  the  space  of  ten  whole  years, 
brought  to  destruction  an  infinite  number  of  Christians  in 
every  province  and  quarter  of  the  world.  This  broil  doth 
Eusebius  Ccesariensis  passingly^  paint  to  the  eyes  of  the 
reader :  for  he  himself  was  an  eye-witness  and  looker-on  of 
many  a  bloody  pageant  and  triumphant  victory  of  the  mar- 
tyrs, which  he  rehearseth  in  the  eighth  book  of  his  ecclesi- 
astical history.  In  that  slaughter  were  killed  the  first  apostles 
of  our  Tigurine  church,  both  martyrs  of  Christ  and  professors 
of  his  gospel,  S.  Foelix  and  his  sister  Regula^. 

After  those  ten  persecutions  there  followed  many  more 
and  more  terrible  butcheries,  stirred  up  by  many  kings  and 
barbarous  men,  in  sundry  quarters  of  the  earth ;  upon  the 
neck  whereof  did  follow  the  merciless  blood-sheddings  com- 
mitted by  the  Saracens,  Turks,  and  Tartars^:  moreover,  the 

[1  graphice,  Lat.] 

[2  These  martyrs  (ex  Thebcea  legione)  are  thus  mentioned  in  the 
Ephemeris,  Bed.  0pp.  Tom.  i.  p.  206.  Col.  Agrip.  1612.    Septemb.  3  Id.] 
Has  simul  et  Felix  felici  morte  dicavit, 
Martyrio  Regular  jmicto,  pariterqiio  beavit. 
They  suffered  September  11,  a.  d.  281.     See  Ilospinian.  defcstis  Chris- 
tian, p.  143.  Genev.  1674.] 

[3  Tartarorum,  Turcaruiu  deniquc,  Lat. ;  and  lastly  of  the  Turks.] 


III.]    THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.    107 

butcherly  bishops^  of  Rome  did  annoy  oxtreniely  the  cliurch 
of  God,  by  shedding  in  civil  and  foreign  wars  more  christian 
blood  than  any  tongue  can  possibly  tell.  No  new  thing 
therefore  doth  at  this  day  happen  to  us  that  in  the  church 
of  Christ  do  suffer  divers  persecutions  and  afflictions ;  for  we 
have  examples  of  great  efficacy,  both  new  and  old,  to  confirm 
our  hearts,  that  they  faint  not  in  calamities. 

And  therefore  did   the   prophets  and  apostles,  and  their  Their  afnic- 

,^        ^  '■         ^  _    _  lions  were 

Lord  and  master,  Jesus  Christ,  foretel  these  perils,  calamities,  f^retoiJ- 
and  all  persecutions ;  because  they   would  have  us  to  fortify 
our  minds  against  these   miseries  at  all   times   and  seasons, 
lest,   by   being   shaken  with   them  at  unawares,   we   should 
revolt  from  our  faith,  and  forsake  our  profession.      •*  Because  ffo^"''^• . 

'  -l  If)— 21  ;  XVI. 

I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,"  saith  the  Lord  to  his  '> ^J 
disciples,  "  therefore  the  world  doth  hate  you.  Remember 
the  words  which  I  spake  unto  you,  saying,  The  servant  is 
not  greater  than  his  master.  If  they  have  persecuted  me, 
they  will  also  persecute  you ;  if  they  have  kept  my  words, 
they  will  also  keep  yours.  But  all  these  things  shall  they 
do  to  you  for  my  name's  sake,  because  they  know  not  him 
that  sent  me.  This  have  I  said  to  you,  that  ye  should  not 
be  offended.  They  shall  drive  you  from  their  synagogues : 
and  the  time  shall  come,  that  whosoever  killeth  you  shall 
think  he  doth  God  good  service." 

The  rest  that  is  like  to  this  I  mean  not  at  this  time  to 
recite  out  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  because  it  cannot  bo 
briefly  rehearsed^:  let  every  one  pick  out,  and  apply  to  his 
own  comfort,  the  plainest  and  most  evident  testimonies,  that 
by  reading  he  shall  light  upon. 

And  although  the  saints  do  not  rejoice  at  the  destruction  persecutors 
of  their  persecuting  enemies,   whom  they  could  wish  rather  "mltd 
to  be  converted,  and  so  saved,  than  in  this  present  world  to  cuung 
be  punished,  and  in   the   world  to   come   to  be  damned  for 
ever ;  yet  they  are   glad,   when  they   see  the   Lord  punish 
their  afflicters",  because  thereby  they  perceive  that  God  hath 

[*  pscudo-pontifices,  Lat. ;  the  false  bishops:  butcherlj/  is  not  in 
the  original.] 

p  Tho  following  texts  are  put  in  the  margin  of  the  Latin  original 
of  Bullingcr;  Psal.  xxii.  Ixix.  Isai.  xlix.  li.  Dan.  vii.  viii.  xi.  Zech.  xiii.] 

[•J  hoc  potissimum  nomine,  Lat. ;  for  this  reason  specially.] 


are  recom- 
pensed for 
their  perse- 
cuting 
tyranny. 


108  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

a  care  OA-er  those  that  be  his  servants.  They  do  gather  also 
by  the  present  vengeance  of  God  upon  the  wicked,  that  as 
afflictions  are  for  the  health  and  amendment  of  the  faithful, 
so  they  are  to  the  hurt  and  destruction  of  the  unbelievers : 
for,  while  they  persecute  other,  they  themselves  are  de- 
stroyed;  and  while  they  trouble  the  church  of  the  Uving 
God,  they  kindle  a  fire  of  the  wrath  of  God  against  them- 
selves, that  will  never  be  quenched.  For  in  the  prophecy  of 
Zacharias   thus  we   read   that   the  Lord  speakcth  touching 

[Zech.  xii.  his  church  :  "  Behold,  I  make  Jerusalem  a  cup^  of  poison  unto 
all  the  people  that  are  round  about  her :  yea,  Juda  himself 
shall  be  in  the  siege  against  Jerusalem-.  And  in  that  day 
I  will  make  Jerusalem  a  heavy  stone  for  all  people ;  so  that 
all  such  as  lift  it  up  shall  be  torn  and  rent,  and  all  the  people 
of  the  earth  shall  be  gathered  together  against  it."  A  like 
saying  to  this  hath  the  Lord  in  Jeremy,  where  he  speaketh 

[.ler.  XXV.  15.  agaiust  the  persecutors  of  his  church,  and  saith  :  "  Take  this 
wine-cup  of  indignation  from  my  hand,  and  make  all  the 
people,  to  whom  I  send  thee,  to  drink  of  it ;  that  when  they 
have  drunken  thereof,  they  may  be  mad,  and  out  of  their 
wits,  for  fear  of  the  sword  which  I  will  send  among  them. 
For  I  begin  to  plague  the  city  that  is  called  after  my  name ; 
and  think  ye  then  that  ye  shall  escape  unpunished?  Ye 
shall  not  go  unpunished."     And  this  is  that  whereto  St  Peter 

D  Pet.  iv.  17.]  alluding  saith:  "The  time  is  that  the  judgment  of  God  be- 
ginneth  at  the  house  of  God :  if  it  first  begin  with  us,  what 
shall  the  end  of  them  be,  that  believe  not  the  gospel  ?" 

Vengeance  I  havo  a  little  abovo  rehearsed  in  order  the  ten  persecu- 

b'lood.  tions,  which  the  Roman  emperors  stirred  up  against  the  church 

of  Christ:  now  histories  make  mention,  that  there  was  not  one 
of  them  but  was  requited  with  some  notable  calamity.  And, 
beside  the  peculiar  revengements  that  followed  every  several 
persecution,  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  the  most  just  Lord,  after 
the  space  of  three  hundred  and  forty-two  years  (for  so  many 
years  are  reckoned  from  the  last  of  Nero  unto  the  second 

[1  calix  soporis,  Lat. ;  a  cup  of  trembling,  Auth.  Vcr.  ;  slumber, 
marg.  reading.] 

[2  So  also  Covcrdale,  1535.  Calvin  in  loe.  remarks:  Miror  cur 
omittant  quiilam  interpretos  particulani  ^^,  ct  ita  vertant,  Krit  etiam 
Jehudah  in  obsidione  contra  Jerusalem.! 


III.]    THE   EIGHTH   PRECEPT   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.    109 

year  of  the  emperors  Ilonorius  and  Thcodosius^),  did  begin  more 
abundantly  to  requite  the  death  of  his  saints  upon  the  necks 
of  the  blood-thirsty  Home.  For  within  the  space  of  one  hun- 
dred and  nine  and  thirty  years  Home  was  six  times  taken 
and  brought  into  subjection  to  the  barbarous  nations*.  For 
in  the  four  hundredth^  year  of  grace,  which  was  the  second  of 
Ilonorius  and  Thcodosius  his  reign,  the  Wisigothes,  under 
their  captain  Alaricus,  both  took  and  sacked  the  city,  using 
notwithstanding  great  mercy  in  their  victory.  After  that 
again,  the  Vandals,  under  their  guide  Genserichus,  brake  into 
the  city  cruelly,  and  spoiled  it  very  greedily*'.  After  them 
came  the  Ilerules,  and  the  remnant  of  Atthilas  his  army,  with 
their  captain  Odacer,  who  took  the  city,  and  got  the  kingdom 
to  themselves,  extinguishing  utterly  the  rule  of  the  Romans 
in  the  west  part  of  the  world".  Then  again,  when  about 
fourteen  years  were  come  and  gone,  in  cometh  Theodoricua 
Veronensis  with  his  Ostrogothes,  who  slew  the  Herules,  and 
obtained  the  city^.  But,  it,  being  recovered  by  the  faith  and 
industry  of  the  vahant  captain  Belisarius,  and  restored  to  Jus- 
tinian the  emperor  of  the  east,  was  immediately  again  taken 
by  Totylas^,  a  prince  of  the  Goths;  who  with  fire  and  sword 
did  sack  it,  pull  down  houses,  and  overthrew  a  great  part  of  the 
walls  thereof,  whereby  Home  was  so  defaced,  that  for  the 
space  of  certain  days  there  was  no  man  that  dwelt  within  it. 
That  spoil  of  the  city  happened  about  the  five  hundred  and 
forty-eighth  year  after  Christ  his  incarnation^*'.  And  thus  did 
Christ,  in  revenging  his  church,  lay  deserved  plagues  upon  the 
neck  of  bloody  Rome;  beside  other  miseries  (I  pass  that  over) 

[3  Nero  destroyed  himself  a.d.  68,  and  the  second  year  of  Hononus 
and  Theodosius  was  a.d.  410.  Usher's  Annals,  Vol.  ii.  p.  694.  Lond. 
1654.  Gibbon's  Dec.  and  Fall,  eh.  32,  Vol.  v.  p.  411.  Lond.  1820.] 

[*  Bullinger  details  more  fully  these  invasions  of  Rome  in  his 
treatise  on  the  Revelation.     Sermons  lvii.  &  lxxvi.] 

[5  412,  Lat.  and  ed.  1577.  The  date  in  Gibbon  is  Aug.  24,  410. 
Vol.  V.  p.  310,  ch.  31.] 

[c  AD.  455,  June  15—29.    Gibbon,  ch.  36,  Vol.  vi.  p.  151.] 

["!  A.D.  476,  or  479.    Gibbon,  Vol.  vi.  p.  226,  &c.] 

[8  A.D.  493.    Gibbon,  ch.  39,  Vol.  vir.  p.  15.] 

P  A.D.  536.    Gibbon,  ch.  41,  Vol.  vii.  p.  224.] 

[10  A.D.  546.  Gibbon,  chap.  43,  Vol.  vii.  p.  366 ;  and  again,  after  a 
repulse,  finally  taken  a.d.  549.  ibid.  p.  375.] 


110  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM. 

Avliich  it  did  suffer  by  the  Huns  and  Lombards  ^  For  this 
is  enough  to  shew  how  miserably  Rome  was  plagued  for 
afflicting  the  church  of  Christ ;  which  nevertheless,  maugre  the 
tyrants'  heads,  remained  safe,  and  overcame  those  brunts,  and 
shall  reign  with  Christ  for  evermore.  In  like  manner  were 
the  Saracens  extinguished  and  utterly  destroyed,  when  first 
they  had  suffered  many  a  great  overthrow,  and  had  been 
plagued  throughout  the  world  with  sundry  mishaps  and  over- 
thwart  calamities.  The  Turks  also  do  daily  feel  their  woes 
and  miseries,  and  are  likely  hereafter  to  feel  sharper  punish- 
ments. Moreover,  the  popes^  with  poison  are  one  slain  by 
another,  and  are  strangely  vexed  with  wonderful  terrors. 
They  are  in  no  place  sure  of  their  lives,  but  even  in  the  midst 
of  all  their  friends  are  beset  with  miseries ;  they  live  in 
fear  continually,  all  the  whole  pack  of  them.  Furthermore, 
even  they  among  them,  that  live  most  happily,  do  rot  away 
with  the  disease  that  folio weth  filthy  pleasures;  than  which 
there  is  no  kind  of  death  either  sharper  to  the  patient,  or 
more  detested  among  all  men.  And  their  adherents,  which  by 
their  setting  on  do  persecute  the  church  of  Christ,  do  either 
They  were  drop  away  with  the  like  disease  that  waiteth  upon  filthy  lust, 
worm°aUve,  or  do  by  little  and  little  consume  away,  as  Herod  and  Anti- 
biy.that  ochus^  did;  which  death  is  long  before  it  dispatch  them,  but 
doth  torment  them  beyond  all  measure:  yea,  and  besides  these 
bitter  plagues,  they  destroy  one  another  with  endless  civil 
wars.  The  Lord  therefore  is  righteous,  and  his  judgments 
are  just  and  equal,  who  never  forgetteth  to  revenge  his  friends 
by  finding  out  his  own  and  his  servants'  enemies,  to  punish 
them  for  their  deserts. 

Since  then,  my  brethren,  that  the  case  so  standeth,  let  us, 
I  beseech  you,  patiently  suffer  the  hand  of  the  Lord  our  God, 
as  often  as  we  are  touched  with  any  calamity,  or  tempted  of 
the  Lord  our  God;  knowing  this,  that  the  Lord  doth  strike  us 
that  he  may  heal  us,  and  trouble  us  that  he  may  comfort  us 
and  receive  us  to  himself  into  joys  everlasting.  And  that  we 
may  so  do,  since  we  are  otherwise  too  weak  of  ourselves,  let  us 
pray  to  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord,  that  he  will  vouchsafe  to  be  present  with  us  in  our 

[1  A.D.  668—570.     Gibbon,  chai^.  45,  Vol.  viii.  p.  126,  &c.] 
[2  pscudo-pontificos,  Lat.]  p  Sco  above,  p.  80.] 


and  stank 


Iir.]     THE   EIGHTH    PRECEPT   OF  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.    Ill 

temptations,  and  guide  us  in  the  way  of  constancy,  peace, 
and  righteousness.  And  for  an  example,  let  every  one  set 
before  his  eyes  the  order  that  Christ  our  Saviour  and  master 
did  use;  who,  a  httle  before  the  cross  of  his  passion,  betook 
himself  to  prayer.  For  going  up  into  the  mount  of  Olives,  ho 
beseecheth  his  Father  humbly,  and  prayeth  to  him  ardently, 
lie  is  instant  in  prayer'*,  and  lieth  upon  him  earnestly^;  and 
yet  so,  that  he  submittcth  all  to  his  will  and  pleasure.  Let 
us  also  do  the  like,  that  we  may  have  trial  of  our  Father's 
present  aid  with  the  effectual  comfort  of  our  minds,  and  that 
we  for  his  goodness  may  give  him  praise  for  evermore. 
Amen. 


OF  THE   FIFTH  AND   SIXTH  PRECEPTS  OF  THE   SECOND 

TABLE,  WHICH  ARE   IN   ORDER  THE  NINTH  AND  TENTH 

OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS,  THAT  IS,  THOU  SHALT 

NOT   SPEAK   FALSE   WITNESS   AGAINST    THY 

NEIGHBOUR :     AND,   THOU   SHALT  NOT 

COVET   THY  NEIGHBOUR'S 

HOUSE,  &c. 

THE  FOURTH  SERMON. 

We  are  now  come  to  the  exposition  of  the  two  last  pre- 
cepts of  the  ten  commandments.      The  ninth  commandment  The  nim 
is:  "Do  not  speak  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour."      By  mem. 
this  precept  is  confirmed  faith  in  covenants  and  contracts:  it 
ruleth  the  tongue,  and  commendeth  unto  us  verity,  the  fairest 
virtue  of  all  other,  and  teacheth  us  to  use  modesty  and  since- 
rity both  in  word  and  deed.      Hitherto  yet  have  we  heard 
nothing  in  all  God's  commandments  touching  the  tongue,  but 
a  little  only  in  the  third  commandment.      But  of  the  tongue  The  ton- 
do  arise  the  greatest  commodities  and  discommodities  of  our 
life.    "For  the  tongue"  (saith  James)  "is  a  little  member,  and  [James i 
boasteth  great  things.     Behold,  how  great  a  matter  a  little 
fire  kindleth.     And  the  tongue  is  fire,  even  a  world  of  wicked- 
ness.     So  is  the  tongue  set  among  our  members,  that  it  defil- 
eth  the  whole  body,  and  setteth  on  fire  the  course  of  nature, 
and  it  is  set  on  fire  of  hell.     All  the  nature  of  beasts,  and  of 
birds,  and  of  serpents,  and  things  of  the  sea,  is  meeked  and 
[4  prcccs  suas  iterat,  Lat.]  [•''  patrcm  urgct,  Lat.J 


112 


THE   THIRD  DECADE. 


[SERM. 


[.Tames  ii 
lU— 12.] 


tamed  of  the  nature  of  men^ ;  but  the  tongue  can  no  man  tame, 
it  is  an  unruly  evil,  full  of  deadly  poison.  Therewith  we 
bless  our  God  and  Father ;  and  therewith  curse  we  men  that 
are  made  after  the  similitude  of  God.  Out  of  one  mouth 
proceed  both  blessing  and  cursing."  Therefore  very  well  and 
necessarily  is  the  way  set  down  in  this  ninth  precept,  how 
men  should  frame  and  order  their  tongues. 

Now  summarily  this  precept  doth  command  us  to  use  our 
tongues  well,  that  neither  privately  or  publicly  we  do  our 
neighbour  harm,  either  in  his  life,  good  name,  or  riches,  by 
word  or  writing,  or  otherwise  by  painting,  neither  by  simu- 
lation nor  dissimulation,  nor  yet  so  much  as  by  a  beck  or  a 
nod.  All  things  are  forbidden  that  are  against  truth  and 
sincerity.  There  is  required  at  all  our  hands  simplicity,  plain 
speaking,  and  telling  of  the  truth.  Briefly,  we  are  com- 
manded every  man  to  do  his  endeavour  mutually  to  maintain 
plain  dealing  and  verity.  For  in  the  twenty-third  of  Exodus 
we  read  that  the  Lord  did  charge  us,  saying  :  "  Thou  shalt  not 
have  to  do  with  a  false  report."  And  in  the  nineteenth  of 
Leviticus,  "Ye  shall  not  steal,  saith  the  Lord,  nor  lie,  nor  deal 
falsely  one  with  another."  And  the  apostle  James,  after  he 
had  touched  the  evils  of  the  tongue  (especially  because  out  of 
one  mouth  proceeded  good  and  bad)  doth  add  :  "These  things, 
my  brethren,  ought  not  to  be  so.  Doth  a  fountain  at  one 
hole  send  forth  sweet  water  and  bitter  also  ?  Can  the  fig  tree, 
my  brethren,  bear  oHve  berries  ?  either  a  vine,  figs  ?  So  can 
no  fountain  give  both  salt  water  and  fresh  also."  Verily,  since 
God  hath  given  to  man  a  tongue,  that  by  the  means  of  it  one 
man  may  know  another's  meaning,  that  it  may  bless  or  praise 
God,  and  do  good  to  all  men-;  it  is  altogether  requisite  that  it 
should  be  applied  to  the  use  that  it  was  made  for'*,  that  thereby 
a  man  out  of  a  good  heart  might  utter  good  talk,  clear  from 
deceit  and  hurt,  from  blasphemy  and  railings,  and  from  filthy 
speaking. 

But  it  is  best  for  us  by  parts  more  nearly  to  sift  the 
special  points  of  this  precept  or  argument.  First  of  all,  in 
this  commandment  it  is  forbidden  every  man  in  the  court 
before  a  judge  to  bear  false  witness.     Therefore  all  witness- 

[1  domatur  ct  domita  est,  Lat] 

[2  ctiam  sibi  ipsi.  Lat.  omitted  :  and  to  one's  self  also.] 

[3  ut  imago  respondeat  archctypo,  is  Bullingor's  Latin.] 


IV,]  THE  NINTH   AND  TENTH   PUECEl'TS,   &C.  113 

bearing  simply  is  not  forbidden  us,  but  false  witnessing  only. 
"  Do  not  speak  (saith  he)  false  witness."  It  is  lawful,  there- 
fore, to  bear  true  witness,  especially  if  a  magistrate  demand  it 
of  thee.  And  therefore  the  Hebrew  phrase  is  very  significant, 
and  saith,  "Answer  not  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour'*." 
Now  he  answereth,  that  is  asked  a  question.  And  in  bear- 
ing of  witness,  he  that  speaketh  must  have  a  regard  of  God 
alone  and  simple  truth  ;  he  must  lay  aside  all  evil  affections, 
hatred,  fear,  or  all  part-taking ;  he  must  hide  nothing,  nor 
dissemble  in  his  speech :  he  must  not  devise  any  thing  of  his 
own  making,  nor  corrupt  the  meaning  of  his  words  that 
spake ;  as  those  false  witnesses  did  in  the  Gospel,  when  before 
the  judges  they  said,  "  I  will  destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  [Matt.  xxvi. 
days  build  it  again ;"  for  they  corrupted  the  meaning  of 
Christ.     And  the  Lord  in  the  law  doth  say,  "  Thou  shalt  not  rExod.  xxui. 

.  .1.2.] 

take  up  a  false  report,  neither  shalt  thou  put  thine  hand  with 
the  wicked  to  be  an  unrighteous  witness.  Thou  shalt  not 
follow  a  multitude  to  do  evil,  neither  shalt  thou  speak  in  a 
matter  of  justice  according  to  the  greater  number,  for  to  per- 
vert judgment."  He  therefore,  that  beareth  false  witness, 
committeth  sin  against  God  and  his  neighbour.  For  first  of 
all,  he  staineth  himself  with  sacrilege  and  perjury,  and  so  by 
telling  a  lie  in  the  name  of  God  he  doth  despite  to  God  him- 
self. Moreover,  he  doth  to  his  neighbour  so  much  hurt,  as 
he  taketh  damage  by  the  judge's  sentence  either  in  body, 
goods,  or  loss  of  life.  For  it  is  manifest  that  the  judge, 
being  moved  with  thy  false  Avitness,  did  punish  the  accused 
party  in  body,  goods,  or  life  itself:  which  he  would  not  have 
done,  had  he  not  been  drawn  thereunto  by  thy  false  witness- 
ing. And  therefore  a  very  good  and  just  law  is  that,  which 
Moses  hath  uttered  in  these  words:  "If  a  false  witness  be  incnt.xix. 
found  among  you,  then  shall  ye  do  unto  him  as  he  had  thought 
wickedly  to  have  done  to  his  brother :  and  thou  shalt  put  evil 
away  from  the  midst  of  thee  :  that  the  rest  may  hear  and 
fear,  and  dare  after  that  do  no  more  such  wickedness  among 
you.  Thou  shalt  have  no  compassion  on  him ;  but  life  for 
life,  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  hand  for  hand,  and  foot  for 
foot."  To  this  belonoreth  the  sayino:  of  Salomon  in  the  Pro- [Prov.vi  in, 
verbs,  where  he  crieth,  "  God  hatcth  a  false  witness."      And  '•>■] 

[■*   n3yr\"N'?.    Ainsworth  translates,  Thou  shalt  not  answer.] 
r  '"  '  1  8 

[BULLINGER,   II. J 


114  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

[Hist.  sus.     again,   "  A  false  witness  shall  not   scape  unpunished."     We 
~  ■  have  an  example  in  the  two  false  witnesses  that  rose  against 

the  chaste^  and  honest  Susanna. 

False  and  In  tliis  law  are  condemned  also  all  false  and  wrongful 

cusations.  accusations,  and  unjust  judgments  bought  for  money  at  the 
mouth  of  unrighteous  judges.  And  as  those  deeds  are  wor- 
thily forbidden,  so  likewise  are  they  misliked  that  set  their 
tongue  to  sale ;  I  mean,  such  merchants  as  for  a  morsel  of 
bread  will  easily  be  hired  either  to  bless  or  curse  the  inno- 
cent. Of  which  sort  of  cursing,  spiteful,  and  soothing  tongues 
thou  mayest  find  a  great  number  in  every  degree  and  state, 
both  of  rich  and  poor,  of  spiritual  and  of  lay  people. 

Furthermore,  we  have  here  commended  unto  us  the 
inviolable  keeping  of  bargains,  covenants,  and  contracts ;  and, 
on  the  other  side,  are  we  especially  charged  not  to  use  either 
guile,  or  deceit,  or  craft,  or  any  kind  of  cozening.  Of  which 
I  have  spoken  where  I  treated  of  theft. 

A  lie.  and  the        But  uow  the  esDccial  thing  that  is  forbidden  the  faithful 

kinds  of  lies.    .  ..  iiti  •  t         '  ^ 

herem  is  to  tell  a  he,  that  is,  to  speak  an  untruth,  either  upon 
purpose  therewith  to  hurt  his  neighbour,  or  upon  any  vain 
and  hght  occasion,  or  otherwise  upon  some  evil  affection. 
For  among  men  many  kinds  and  sundry  sorts  of  lies  are  reck- 
oned up.  St  Augustine,  in  his  fourteenth  chapter  ad  Con- 
sentium  de  Mendacio,  maketh  mention  of  eight  kinds  of  lies^. 
I  among  many  will  name  a  few  only.  There  is  a  jesting  lie; 
as  when  I  say  that  I  lie,  or  other  men  know  that  I  do  lie,  by 
which  lie  of  mine  they  take  some  profit,  or  (as  I  should  rather 
say)  some  pastime  or  pleasure.  To  lie  in  that  sort,  although 
it  be  no  great  and  heinous  sin,  is  yet  a  sign  of  very  great 
lightness ;  which  the  apostle  misliketh  in  the  faithful,  as  it 
Ephes.  V.  may  appear  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the  Ephcsians. 
And  yet  I  think  not  that  devised  fables,  parables,  and  feigned 
narrations  are  hereby  forbidden :  which,  as  they  are  in  the 
scripture  everywhere  used  in  matters  of  most  importance,  so 
have  tliey  also  a  very  good  grace,  being  of  themselves  very 
necessary,  and  profitable  for  the  readers.  Notwithstanding  St 
Augustine  will  not  have  jesting  mirth  ^  in  the  number  of  lies. 

[^  pudicissimam  foeminarum,  Lat.] 
[2  August,  0pp.  Par.  1531.  Tom.  iv.  fol.  5.  col.  1.] 
[3  Exccptis  jocis,  qua)  nunquam  sunt  putata  mendacla. — August. 
Tom.  IV.  fol.  2.] 


IV.]  THE   NINTH  AND   TENTH  PRECEPTS,   &C.  115 

There  is,   moreover,   an  officious   lie ;    that    is,   when  I 
fitten*  or  tell  an  untruth,  for  duty's  sake,  to  the  end  that  by 
my  lie  I  may  keep  my  neighbour  harmless  from  the  evil  or 
mischief  that  hangeth  over  his  head.      Of  this  sort  there  are 
many   examples  in  the   holy  scriptures.      The   midwives    of 
Egypt  did  save  the  Hebrews'  children  alive,  whom  Pharao  [exoj.  i. 
commanded  to  be  slain  at  their  birth  ;    and,  being  accused 
before  the  king  for  breaking  the  law,  they  did  by  an  officious 
and  a  very  witty  he  excuse  themselves,  and  pretend  a  certain 
speediness  of  travail  in  the  Hebrews'  wives,  more  than  the 
Egyptian  women  had.      Rahab  doth  with  a  very  strange  tale  [Josh.  ii. 
deceive  the  citizens^  of  Jericho,  and  by  her  he  preserve  the 
spies  of  the  people  of  God.      And  Michel,  David's  wife,  with  [i  sam.  xix. 
a  lie  did  save  her  husband's  life,  and  sent  away  her  father 
Saul's  servants  without  their  purpose,  for  which  the  king  had 
sent  them.    And  Jonathan  feigneth  many  a  thing  at  his  father's  n  sam-  x*. 
table,  for  the  good-will   that  he  bare  to   David,  whom  by 
honest  shifts  and  godly  deceits  he  did  rid  from  the  bloody 
hand  of  his  cruel  father  Saul.      The  holy  widow  Judith  also  [Juduh  x. 
by  lying  and  dissembling  doth  enter  the  tent  of  captain  Holo- 
phernes ;  and  by  cutting  off  his  head  doth  set  her  afflicted 
country-folks  at  liberty  again. 

Now  it  hath  been  a  question  among  the  divines  of  the 
primitive  church,  whether  they,  whose  examples  I  have  here 
alleged,  did  sin  in  lying  or  no.  Origen,  and  they  that  fol- 
lowed him,  did  permit  a  wise  and  godly  man  to  lie,  if  so  be 
it  were  for  the  welfare  of  them  for  whom  the  lie  was  made". 
Neither  was  St  Hierome  without  suspicion  of  Origen's  opinion: 
for  upon  the  epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Galatians  he  writ,  that 
Peter  and  Paul,  to  serve  the  time,  did  use  a  kind  of  simu- 
lation 7.  But  St  Augustine,  admonishing  Hierome  of  that 
[<  fingo,  Lat. — to  fitton,  to  form  lies  or  fictions. — Nares.] 
[^  civibus  suis,  Lat.  her  citizens.] 

[G  Ex  quo  perspicuum  est,  quod  nisi  ita  mentiti  fuerimus,  ut  mag- 
num nobis  ex  hoc  aliquod  quairatur  bonum,  judicandi  simus  quasi 
inimici  ejus,  qui  ait:  Ego  sum  Veritas. — Ilrec  Origenes  scripsit,  negare 
non  possumus. ..  .docetquo  magistris  mentiendum.  Ilioron.  Apol.  adv. 
Rufin.  Lib.  i.  Tom  iv.  coL  3G9.  Par.  1706.] 

[7  Restitit  (Paulus)  secundum  facicm  publicam  Tetro  ct  ceteris; 
ut  hypocrisis  obsei-vandre  Icgis  . . .  corrcptionis  hj'pocrisi  cmendaretur. 
— Utilcm  vero  simulationem,  et  assumendam  in  tempore,  Jehu  regis 
Israel  nos  doceat  exemplum,  &c. — Ilioron.  Comment,  in.  Ep.  ad  GaL 
cap.  II.  0pp.  Tom.  iv.  col.  243.] 


116  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

matter,  denieth  flatly  that  we  ouglit  once  to  suspect  that  a 
lie  is  allowed  in  the  sacred  scriptures.  On  the  other  side 
again,  St  Hierome  telleth  Augustine,  that  the  best  interpreters 
of  the  ancient  church  are  full  and  wholly  of  his  mind.  There 
are,  to  and  fro,  very  learned  and  large  epistles  written  on 
both  sides,  which  are  extant  now,  and  to  be  seen  amongst  us ; 
and  therefore  I  need  not  stick  hereupon  any  longer  ^  The 
same  Augustine,  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  his  book  that  he 
wrote  ad  Consentium  contra  Mendacium,  saith  :  "  He  which 
saith  that  some  lies  are  righteous,  is  to  be  thought  to  say 
nothing  else  but  that  some  sins  are  righteous,  and  so,  con- 
sequently, that  some  unrighteousness  is  righteous :  than 
which  what  can  be  spoken  more  absurd  ?  For  whereupon  is 
sin,  but  because  it  is  contrary  to  righteousness  ?  But  those 
things  that  are  done  against  the  law  of  God  cannot  be  righte- 
ous. Now  it  is  said  to  God,  Thy  law  is  truth ;  and  there- 
fore that  which  is  against  the  truth  cannot  be  righteous. 
But  who  doubteth  but  that  every  lie  is  against  the  truth  ? 
Therefore  no  lie  can  possibly  be  righteous  2."  And  so  forth 
as  foUoweth,  Now  on  the  other  side,  very  notable  learned 
men  have  thought,  that  Augustine  was  somewhat  too  stub- 
bornly set  against  lying.  And  therefore  some  there  are, 
which,  going  as  it  were  betwixt  both,  do  say,  that  they 
(whose  examples  I  alleged  even  now)  were  not  altogether 
without  all  sin  ;  and  yet  they  suppose,  that  their  f^iult  in  those 
lies  was  a  very  small  sin.  I  would  wish  those,  which  will 
allow  themselves  to  lie  officiously,  to  take  heed  to  themselves, 
lest,  by  following  their  own  affections  more  than  enough,  they 
do  at  last  take  that  for  an  officious  lie  which  is  indeed  a 
pernicious  lie. 

[}  Jerome's  Epistle  on  this  subject  is  Ep.  74.  0pp.  Tom.  iv.  col. 
618-62G.  Augustine's  letters  are  given  in  the  same  place,  and  in 
August.  0pp.  Ep.  VIII.  IX.  XI.  Tom.  11.  fol.  8,  9.  Par.  1531.] 

[2  Nihil  autem  judicandus  est  dicere,  qui  dicit  aliqua  justa  esse 
mendacia,  nisi  aliqua  justa  esse  peccata,  ac  per  hoc  aliqua  justa  esse 
quce  injusta  sunt.  Quo  quid  absurdius  dici  potest?  Undo  enim  est 
peccatum  nisi  quia  justitia)  contrarium  est  ? . .  .  Ea  vero  qufc  contra 
legem  Dei  fiunt,  justa  esse  non  possunt.  Dictum  est  autem  Deo,  Lex 
tua  Veritas :  ac  per  hoc,  quod  est  contra  vcritatem  justum  esse  non 
potest.  Quis  autem  dubitet  contra  vcritatem  esse  mendacium  omne  ? 
Nullum  ergo  justum  esse  potest  mendacium. — August.  Oj^p.  ad  Consent. 
Tom.  IV.  fol.  II.  col.  2.  Par.  1531.] 


IV.]  THE  NINTH  AND  TENTH   PRECEPTS,   &rC,  117 

For  the  last  and  "worst  kind  of  Ho  is  a  pernicious  lie : 
and  that  proceedeth  of  a  corrupt  mind,  and  tcndeth  to  the 
damage  of  thy  neighbour,  which  hath  deserved  no  hurt  at 
thy  hand.  This  kind  of  lie  is  everywhere  cried  out  upon 
throughout  the  scriptures :  and  the  fault  thereof  increaseth 
according  to  the  quantity  of  the  mischief  that  it  doth.  For 
divines  and  ecclesiastical  preachers  do  lie  of  all  other  most 
perniciously,  while  with  lies  and  corrupt  doctrine  they  kill 
the  souls  of  men,  and  make  the  bodies  and  goods  of  silly 
seduced  people  both  subject  to  the  curse  of  God  and  in 
danger  of  a  thousand  perils  more.  And  hereunto  belongeth 
hypocrisy  also,  which  the  Lord  Jesus  doth  in  the  gospel  won- 
derfully taunt  and  bait  exceedingly.  Now  hypocrisy  doth 
shew  itself,  not  only  and  so  much  in  crafty  and  deceitful 
words,  as  also,  and  far  more,  in  the  whole  conversation  of  our 
lives ;  as  when  we  make  semblance,  or  else  dissemble  such 
things  as  are  not,  by  that  means  lying  to  God  and  beguiling 
our  neighbour. 

Furthermore,  in  this  law  are  forbidden  tale-bearings,  privy 
slanders,    backbitings,    close  whisperings,  and  all   suspicions 
which  rise  by  such   occasions.      Despiteful  quips    therefore,  carrjingof 
and  heads  that  are  readv  to  speak  evil  of  all  men,  are  plainly  tongue  dis- 

V  1.  ^  'It/    postd  to 

condemned.      For  some  there  are  which  are  without  honesty,  '^^^^^^^^^l'! 
not  sticking  to  slander  all  estates  and  conditions,  both  high  °"*'^'* 
and  low,  private  and  public,  and  people  of  all  ages :  and  for 
that  purpose  do  they  cast  abroad  infamous  libels,  they  stick 
up  written    pasquils,   and  set  out  pictures   to    defame  men 
withal.      And  to  themselves  they  seem  very  eloquent,  while 
with  bitter  words  they  check,  and  find  fault  with,  all  sorts  of  Pasquii  is,  as 
men:  yea,  they  account  the  malapert  prattling  of  their  un- image  in^" 
bridled  tongues  to  be  a  commendation  of  uncontrolled  liberty  upmuiie 

.  "  .  ,  "^    people  are 

and  free  licence  of  speakino-.      But  they  sin  very  grievously,  worn  to  stick 

1  o  ti  I/O  ti  '  up  writings 

which  take  delight  in  cursed  speaking;   that  is,  which  carry  {.°^'^^^/',^- „f 
about  a  tongue  full  of  bitterness,  curses,  and  deceit :   even  as  {he^hat'lT 
they  also  are  not  without  sin,  that  love  a-life  ^  to  hear  en-  Buulnge^r 
venom ed  speech  and  hurtful  talking.  writing!  by 

•ni  1'  rf  11  n  f    ^  ^'"^  name  of 

But  we  make  a  dmerence,  and  do  except  ironi  wrongful  that  image, 
quarrels    such  accusations    as  are   justly  made  and    openly 
shewed,  either  by  writing  or  word  of  mouth;  and  such  kind  Just accu- 

•^  °  '  sations. 

[3  a-lifo,  as  my  life,  exceedingly.     Narcs'  Glossary  in  voc] 


pernicious. 


118  THK    THIRD    DECADE,  [sERM. 

of  cliidings  and  chastenings  also  as  preachers  use  in  sacred 
sermons :  for  they,  which  do  in  that  sort  chastise  and  pursue 
wicked  vices  and  errors,  do  purpose  nothing  else  but  the 
glory  of  God  and  safeguard  of  men's  souls,  which  they  desire 
to  advance  by  all  the  means  they  can,  not  seeking  to  utter 
their  spite  or  wreak  the  malice  of  their  naughty  affections. 

But   we  may  gather  by  many  arguments,  that  it  is  a 
heinous  crime  falsely  to  slander  and  wickedly  to  backbite  our 

Backbiting  is  brethren  and  neighbours.  For  there  is  scarcely  any  thing 
that  doth  so  much  disgrace  us  as  backbiting  doth.  We  are 
made  to  the  simihtude  and  likeness  of  God,  that  we  may  be  the 
sons  of  God ;  but  false  accusations  do  make  us,  of  the  sons  of 
God,  to  be  the  sons  of  the  devil.  Now  we  all  abhor  and  utterly 
detest  the  name  of  the  devil :  but  if  thou  art  a  wrongful  slan- 
derer, then  art  thou  the  very  same  that  thou  dost  so  detest : 
for  the  devil  taketli  his  name  of  wrongful  accusing,  and  is 
called  a  slanderer  ^  Moreover,  in  the  book  of  Proverbs,  God 
is  said  to  hate  backbiters  and  wrongful  slanderers.  And  in 
the  twenty-fourth  chapter  we  read  :  "  The  thought  of  a  fool 
is  sin,  and  a  slanderer  is  hated  of  men."  For  a  good  name  (as 
the  same  Salomon  witnesseth)  is  a  precious  treasure.     When 

fProv.  xxii.  as  therefore  the  fame  and  good  name  of  a  man  is  put  in 
hazard  by  the  false  reports  and  slanders  of  a  wicked  tongue, 
the  chiefest  jewel  that  a  man  hath  is  put  in  jeopardy ;  so  that 
in  very  deed  a  slanderer  doth  seem  to  sin  more  deeply  than 
a  thief,  unless  a  man  make  more  account  of  his  transitory 
riches  than  of  his  name  and  good  report :  and  therefore  it 
is  strange  at  this  day,  that  a  thief  for  stealing  is  never  par- 
doned, and  backbiters  for  slanders  are  never  once  touched-. 
I  would  to  God  that  magistrates  would  once  rightly  weigh 
the  sundry  circumstances  of  sundry  matters,  and  punish  every 
fault  with  penalties  agreeable  to  the  offence,  and  revenge  the 
greater  crimes  with  great  and  sharper  punishments.  For 
God  truly  doth  require  of  and  charge  every  one  of  us,  to  do 
our  best  in  maintaining  truth,  for  the  defence  of  our  neigh- 
bour's good  name,  and  preservation  of  his  earthly  substance. 

[1  Aia/3oXoy, — spcciatim  ita  dicitur  qui  est  ad  calumniandum  pro- 
clivis,  calumniator.  1  Tim.  iii.  11  ;  Tit.  ii.  3  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  3.  Schleusncri 
Lex.  in  voc] 

[2  aut  minimum.    Lat.  omitted:   or  as  gently  as  possibly  may  be] 


J-] 


IV.]  THE  NINTH  AND   TENTH   PRECEl'TS,   &CC.  119 

In  this   law  also  it  seemeth  that  flattery  is    forbidden,  Flattery. 
which,  as  the  proverb  doth  truly  say,  maketh  a  fool  mad,  and 
causeth  him  that  is  mad  to  be  incurably  mad.    And  therefore 
Salomon  saith,  that  a  flatterer  is  worthy  to  be  cursed  of  all 
men.    "They  (saith  he)  which  say  to  the  wicked,  thou  art  just,  rprov.  xxiv. 
shall  be  cursed  of  the  people,  and  hated  of  the  tribes."     And  ^^'^ 
in  another  place:  "The  words  of  a  tale-bearer  be  as  though  [Prov.xxvi. 
they  were  simple  ^  and  yet  they  pierce  to  the  inward  parts  of"' 
the    heart.      AVhen  he  speaketh  softly,  believe  him  not:  for 
there  are  seven  mischiefs  in  his  heart."     And  therefore  in  Ec- 
clesiastes  it  is  very  well  said:  "It  is  better  to  hear  the  rebuke  [Eccies.  vu. 
of  a  wise  man  than  the  song  of  a  fool,"  that  is,  of  a  flatterer. 
And  yet,  although  flattery  be  so  great  an  evil,  it  is  notwith- 
standing favoured  of  all  men ;  so  that  as  an  infecting  plague  it 
is  crept  into*  the  church^,  into  princes'  palaces,  into  judges'* 
courts,  and  every  private  house.     For,  like  an  alluring  mer- 
maid, it  hath  a  song  that  doth  dehght  our  flesh.    For  we,  like 
fools,  are  blinded  with  self-love,  and  do  not  mark  that  flatteries 
and  allurements  do  breed  our  destruction.      Ezechiel  blameth 
greatly  all  flattering  preachers,  and  saith:  "Woe  unto  them  [Ezek. xiii. 
that  say  unto  the  people.  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no 
peace;  which  daub  with  untempered  morter,  which  sew  entic- 
ing pillows  under  every   elbow,  and  put  alluring  kerchiefs 
upon  every  head",  to  hunt  after  and  catch  souls."      Of  such 
kind  of  teachers,  that  delight  more  in  lies  and  flattery  than 
in  sincere  verity,  the  apostle  Paul  saith:  "The  time  shall  come  [-'Tim.  iv. 
that  they  shall  not  abide  to  hear  sound  doctrine;  but  they, 
whose  ears  do  itch,  shall  get  them  teachers  according  to  their 
lusts,  and  shall  turn  their  ears  from  the  truth,  and  shall  be 
turned  into  fables"."    And  David,  praying  against  this  plague, 
as  the  thing  that  is  most  pernicious  to  all  kings  and  princes 
in  authority,  doth  say :  "The  righteous  shall  smite  me  friendly**: 
but  the   precious  balms  of  the  wicked  shall  not  anoint  my 
head^."     And  again,  "Lord,  deliver  me  from  lying  lips  and  [ps. cxx.  2.] 

[3  BuUinger  follows  the  Vulgate.] 

[4  adde  et  occupant,  Lat.  nay,  has  gained  possession  of,  omitted.] 

[5  Sacram  in  tempio  cathedrani,  Lat.] 

[<5  qui  consuunt  blandos  pulvillos  sub  omni  axilla  aut  cubito,  et 
ccrvicalia  blanda  sub  omni  capite,  Lat.] 

["^  unto,  1577,  ad  fabulas,  Lat.] 

[8  et  increpabit  mc,  Lat.  omitted  :  and  shall  reprove  mc.] 

[3   oleum  autem   pcccatoris   non   impinguabit  caput  mcum,  Lat. 
after  the  Vulgate,  Psal.  cxli.  5.] 


120  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

The  tenth      ^  decGitful  tonguG."     Thus  much  have  I  hitherto  said  for  the 
ment"o"God.  expositioH  of  the  ninth  commandment. 

17'.]    '''  ■  Now  followeth  the  tenth  and  last  commandment,  which, 

word  for  word,  is  expressed  thus:  "Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy 
neighbour's  house,  thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife, 
Deut.  V.  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor 
his  ass,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neighbour's."  Which  words 
the  Lord  in  the  fifth  of  Deuteronomy  doth  lay  down  in  this 
manner  and  order:  "Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's 
wife,  thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house,  nor  his  field, 
nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his 
ass,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neighbour's."  Neither  is  there 
any  difference  or  contrariety  in  the  thing  itself,  although  in 
Exodus,  "Thy  neighbour's  house,"  and  in  Deuteronomy,  "Thy 
neighbour's  wife,"  be  set  first  in  order.  Now  this  maketh* 
somewhat  against  them  that  divide  this  last  precept  into  two 
commandments,  which  is  indeed  but  one,  as  it  may  be  partly 
gathered  by  this  order  thus  inverted  in  the  setting  of  it 
down  in  two  sundry  places. 
Coveting.  jj^  ^j^jg  precept  coveting  is  especially  forbidden ;   I  mean, 

evil  longing  and  corrupt  desiring.  For  coveting  is  a  word 
indifferently  used,  as  well  in  the  better  as  the  worse  significa- 
tion. For  David  afiirmeth  that  he  did  long  after  God  and 
Ps.  cxix.  his  law:  "I  have  wished  for  (saith  he),  O  Lord,  thy  salvation." 
And,  "  I  have  longed  after  thy  commandments."  Psal.  cxix.  We 
must  here,  therefore,  be  able  with  discretion  to  judge  betwixt 
that  good  aft'ection,  which  God  did  first  create  in  man;  and 
that  other  motion,  the  root  of  evil,  that  groweth  in  our  nature 
by  the  descent  of  corruption  from  our  first  father  Adam. 
There  was  in  Adam  before  his  fall  a  certain  good  appetite 
with  pleasure  and  delight.  lie  was  not  so  hungry,  that  hun- 
ger did  pain  his  empty  bowels  (which  is  indeed  a  plague  for  sin), 
but  he  did  eat  with  a  certain  sweet  and  delectable  appetite. 
He  was  delighted  with  the  pleasures  of  Paradise.  lie  did  with 
a  certain  holy  desire  both  love  and  long  after  the  woman,  which 
God  had  brought  and  placed  before  him.  And  this  good  appe- 
tite or  desire  proceeded  from  God  himself,  who  made  both  Adam 
and  all  his  affections  good  at  the  first.  Yea,  and  at  this  day  also 
there  are  in  men  certain  natural  affections  and  desires,  as,  to 
eat,  to  drink,  to  sleep,  and  such  like,  belonging  to  the  preserva- 

[1  Facit  autcm.  Lat.      But  this  makcth.     Sec  Vol.  r.  p.  213.] 


IV.]  THE  NINTH  AND  TENTH  TRECErTS,  &C.  121 

tion^  of  man's  life,  which  of  themselves  are  not  to  be  accounted 
among  the  number  of  sins,  unless  by  corruption  of  original 
vice  they  pass  the  bounds  for  which  they  are  ordained.  But 
in  this  treatise  upon  the  tenth  commandment  desire  is  used  in 
the  worser  part,  and  is  taken  for  the  concupiscence  or  covet- 
ing of  evil  things.  This  concupiscence,  being  translated  from 
Adam  into  us  all,  is  the  fruit  of  our  corrupt  nature,  or  oif- 
spring  of  original  sin,  whose  seat  is  in  the  heart  of  man; 
and  is  the  fountain  and  head-spring  of  all  sin  and  wickedness 
that  is  to  be  found  in  mortal  men.  For  the  Lord  in  the  gos- 
pel doth  expressly  say :  "Whatsoever  entcrcth  in  by  the  mouth  fj-^^^'Jy- 
goeth  into  the  belly,  and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught:  but  the 
things  that  come  out  of  the  mouth  proceed  from  the  heart ; 
and  those  defile  the  man.  For  out  of  the  heart  do  come  evil 
thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  whoredoms,  theft,  false  witness- 
bearings,  despiteful  speaking:  these  be  they  that  do  defile  the 
man."  And  the  apostle  James,  speaking  altogether  as  plainly  in  [James  1. 13 
another  place,  doth  say:  "  Let  no  man,  when  he  is  tempted,  say 
that  he  is  tempted  of  God:  for  every  one  is  tempted  while  he 
is  drawn  away,  and  enticed  with  the  bait  of  his  own  concu- 
piscence. Then  when  lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  forth 
sin;  and  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth  death." 

Concupiscence,  therefore,  is  a  motion  or  affection  of  the  coneupis- 
mind,  which  of  our  corrupt  nature  doth  lust  against  God"  '^^' 
and  his  law,  and  stirreth  us  up  to  wickedness,  although  the 
consent,  or  deed  itself,  doth  not  presently  follow  upon  our 
conceit.  For  if  the  deed  do  follow  the  lust,  then  doth  the 
sin  increase  by  steps  and  degrees.  For^  first  we  must  con- 
sider the  very  blotting  out,  or  corrupting,  of  the  image  of 
God  in  us,  original  sin,  and  that  disease  that  lieth  hid  in  our 
members,  which  is  by  us  called  evil  aflfections.  Secondarily, 
we  must  consider  that  it  increaseth  by  our  delight  and  plea- 
sure therein.  Thirdly,  it  is  augmented,  if  we  consenf*  and 
seek  after  counsel  to  commit  the  crime.  And,  lastly,  if  the 
consent  break  forth  to  the  deed-doing,  then  is  it  greater  and 
greater,  according  to  the  qualities  of  accidents  or  circum- 
stances.    Now  all  these  are  reckoned  in   the  number  of  sins, 

[2  ad  conservationem  ac  propagationcm,  Lat.,  to  the  preservation 
and  propagation.] 

[•■*  In  pcccato  enim,  Lat.  omitted :  for  in  the  case  of  sin.] 

[*  Indescquiturfereconsensus,Lat.  Thence  follows  usually  consent.] 


122  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

though  by  degrees  the  one  of  them  is  greater  than  the  other: 
touching  which  I  will,  by  God's  sufferance,  speak  somewhat 
more  largely,  when  I  come  to  the  treatise  of  sin.  Wherefore 
that  evil  and  unlawful  affection,  which  is  of  our  natural  cor- 
ruption, and  lieth  hid  in  our  nature,  but  bewrayeth  itself  in 
our  hearts  against  the  pureness  of  God's  law  and  majesty,  is 
that  very  sin,  which  is  in  this  law  condemned.  For,  although 
there  be  some  which  think  that  such  motions,  diseases,  ble- 
mishes, and  affections  of  the  mind  are  no  sins,  yet  God,  by 
forbidding  them  in  this  law,  doth  flatly  condemn  them.  But 
if  any  man   doubt  of  this  exposition,  let  him  hear  the  words 

[Rom.  vii.  of  the  apostle,  who  saith :  "  I  knew  not  sin,  but  by  the  law  : 
for  I  had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said.  Thou  shalt 
not  lust.  Without  the  law  sin  was  dead  :  I  once  lived  with- 
out law ;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and 

[Rom.  viii.  I  was  dead."  And  again,  "  The  affection  of  the  flesh  is 
death,  but  the  affection  of  the  Spirit  is  life  and  peace :  be- 
cause the  affection  of  the  flesh  is  enmity  against  God ;  for  it 
is  not  obedient  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  can  be.  So  then 
they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God."  The  affec- 
tion of  concupiscence  therefore  doth  condemn  us ;  or,  as  I 
should  rather  say,  we  are  worthily  condemned  by  the  just 
judgment  of  God  for  our  concupiscence  ^  which  doth  every 
hour  and  moment  bewray  itself  in  the  thoughts  of  our  hearts. 
There  are  (I  confess)  sundry  fantasies  and  many  thoughts  in 
the  minds  of  men,  which,  while  they  tend  not  to  the  offence 
of  God  or  our  neighbour,  nor  do  contain  any  uncleanness  or 
self-love,  are  not  to  be  counted  in  the  number  of  sins :  as  I 
did  immediately  after  the  beginning  declare  unto  you. 

.^•^"j^^^n.  So  hitherto,  verily,  God  hath  forbidden  the  grosser  sins 
which  man  doth  daily  commit  against  him  ;  and  now  at  last 
he  Cometh  to  the  concupiscence  and  corrupt  nature  of  man, 
the  well-spring  of  all  evil,  which  in  this  precept  he  goeth 
about  to  stop  up  and  cause  to  sleep :  or,  as  I  should  rather 
say,  to  detect  to  the  eyes  of  all  men  the  infirmity  and  Aveak- 
ness  of  mankind.  For  what  is  he  that  hath  not  some  whiles 
felt  concupiscence  ?  yea,  what  is  he,  that  is  not  every  hour 
*  and  moment  pricked  with  the  sting  of  fleshly  concupiscence  ? 
What  man  is  there,  I  pray  you,  that  is  not  diseased  with  the 

[1  in  nobis  latcntem  atquc,  Lat.,  omitted  :  which  hirkcth    in  us, 
and.] 


IV,]  THE  NINTH  AND  TENTH   PRECEPTS,   &C.  123 

natural  sickness  common  to  us  all,  and  spotted  Tvltli  the 
blemish  of  original  guiltiness  ?  Being  therefore  convinced  of 
sin  before  the  Lord,  we  are  not  able  to  excuse  our  fault,  nor 
escape  the  sentence  of  the  judge  that  doth  condemn  all  flesh. 
For  the  just  Lord  doth  expressly  condemn  our  natural  corrup- 
tion and  wicked  inclination,  which  is  a  continual  turning  from 
God,  and  rebellion  against  the  sincerity  which  he  requircth 
at  our  hands.  For  they  are  called  happy  that  are  clean  in 
heart,  because  they  shall  see  God.  They  therefore,  whose 
hearts  are  wrapped  in  lusts,  diseased  with  concupiscence,  and 
spotted  with  the  poison  of  original  guilt,  shall  not  see  God. 
But  such  are  all  we  that  are  the  sons  of  Adam.  And  there- 
fore this  law  doth  convince  us  all  of  sin,  infirmity,  natural 
corruption,  and  of  damnation  which  foUoweth  upon  the  neck 
of  our  corruption. 

IMoreover,  God  in  his  law  doth  not  only  require  the  out-  what  pure- 
ward  cleanness  of  the  body,  but  the  inward  pureness  also  of  rcquimh 
the  mind,  the  soul,  and  all  our  aifections;   and  giveth  charge 
that  all,   whatsoever   we  think,    determine,   go  about,   or  do, 
should  tend  to  the  health  and  profit  of  our  neighbour.      This 
commandment  therefore  may  be  referred  to  all  the  other  that 
went  before.      For  the  Lord  himself   expounding  this  com-  Matth.  v. 
mandment,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  murder,"  addeth  :  "Who- 
soever  is    angry    with  his    brother   shall   be    in  danger   of 
judgment,"  &c.  Matt,  v ;  and  again,  in  expounding  this  pre- 
cept, "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  he  addeth  ;  "  Who- 
soever looketh   on   another  man's   wife   to   lust  after  her,  he 
hath  committed  adultery  already  with  her  in  his  heart." 

And  here  ho  doth  exactly  rehearse  the  things  which  we  what  it  is 
do  covet,  and,  in  longing  after  which,  we  are  wont  to  sin.  not  covet. 
Now  our  covetousness  consisteth  in  the  desire  either  of  things 
or  persons.  The  things  thai  we  covet  are  either  immoveable 
or  moveable  :  as  we  Germans  do  usually  say,  Die  guteren  sind 
etliche  ligende,  etliche  farende^.  The  immoveable  things  are 
houses,  farms,  lands,  vineyards,  woods,  meadows,  pastures, 
fishpools,  and  such  like.  Things  moveable  are  money,  cattle, 
honour-',  oflftce,  and  dignities.  The  persons  are  wife,  children, 
man-servants  and  maid-servants.  These  and  such  like,  which 
our  neighbour  hath  in  possession,  none  of  us  ought  to  covet 

[2  Helvetice,  Lat.,  in  our  Swiss  phrase.] 
[3  honores,  Lat.  honours.] 


124  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

to  his  hurt  or  hinderance  :  or  if  any  man  happen  to  covet 
them,  yet  let  him  not  consent  to  the  concupiscence,  nor  take 
dehght  therein ;  let  him  not  seek  to  obtain  the  thing  that 
he  so  desireth,  nor  suffer  his  ill-conceived  purpose  to  break 
out  to  the  deed-doing,  in  taking  from  his  neighbour  his  things 
or  persons :  for  God  requireth  at  the  hands  of  those  that 
worship  him  such  kind  of  righteousness  as  is  altogether  sound 
and  absolutely  perfect,  not  in  the  outward  deed  alone,  but 
also  in  the  inward  mind  and  settled  purpose  of  the  heart. 
[Matt.  V. 20.]  Whereupon  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  saith:  "Unless  your  right- 
eousness exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  But 
touching  the  manner  how  God's  commandments  are  fulfilled, 
and  that  faith  is  the  absolute  righteousness,  I  will  hereafter 
in  another  sermon  tell  you,  as  I  have  already  said  somewhat 
in  the  sermon  that  I  made  upon  true  faith. 

Hitherto  in  twelve  sermons  I  have  run  through  and  declared 
the  ten  precepts  of  the  moral  law,  in  which  I  told  you  that  the 
form  of  virtue  is  laid  before  our  eyes,  thereby  to  frame  our 
manners  according  to  the  will  of  God.  God  himself  hath  divided 
all  the  branches  of  his  moral  law  into  two  tables.  The  first 
doth  shew  the  duty  of  us  men  to  our  Creator,  and  teacheth 
how  to  worship  aright  our  God  and  governor.  The  second 
table,  in  six  whole  precepts,  doth  declare  what,  and  how 
much,  every  man  is  bound  to  owe  to  his  neighbour,  and  how 
we  may  all  live  both  quietly,  well,  and  civilly  one  with  ano- 
ther. It  commandeth  us  to  honour  our  parents,  and  all  those 
which  God  hath  ordained  instead  of  our  parents.  It  forbid- 
deth  murder,  or  doing  injury  to  any  man  in  his  life  and  body. 
It  forbiddeth  whoredom,  adultery,  and  wicked  lusts,  commend- 
ing wedlock,  cleanness,  and  a  continent  hfe^  It  forbiddeth 
lies,  false  witness-bearings,  and  eviP  desires;  and  biddeth 
us  to  love  our  neighbours  with  all  our  hearts,  being  ready 
at  all  times  with  all  our  power  to  do  them  good. 

To  God,  our  Lord  and  most  prudent  lawgiver,  be  all 
praise  and  thanks  for  ever  and  ever.      Amen. 

[1  Proliibct  furta,  dolos,  imposturas,  Lat.  omitted :  it  forbiddeth 
thefts,  cheatings,  and  impositions.] 

['■2  et  noxias,  Lat.  omitted  :   and  hurtful.] 


v.]  THE   CEUEMOMAL   LAWS   OF   CiOD.  125 


OF  THE   CEREMONIAL  LAW   OF    GOD,    BUT   ESPECIALLY 
OF   THE   PRIESTHOOD,   TIME,  AND   PLACE,  AP- 
POINTED  FOR   THE   CEREMONIES. 

THE  FIFTH  SERMON. 

In  the  pai'tition  of  God's  laws,  next  after  the  moral  law 
■we  placed  the  ceremonial  law^:  and  therefore,  since  the  moral 
law  is  already  expounded,  I  have  now  next,  by  the  help  of 
God,  to  treat  of  the  law  of  ceremonies.  And,  that  I  may  not 
hide  any  thing  from  you,  note  this  by  the  way:  that  some 
write  Ceremoniiv,  and  some  Cerimonice;  which  two  words  are 
used  for  ceremonies;  considering  that  sundry  men  have  sundry 
opinions  touching  the  word,  from  whence  it  should  come. 
For  some  (after  the  opinion  of  Servius  Sulpitius)  do  think 
that  they  are  called  Ceremonice  a  carendo*.  But  Festus 
affirmeth,  that"'  ceremonies  did  first  take  their  name  of  the 
town  Carres,  or  Caerete^.  For  Livy  in  his  fifth  book  saith, 
that  the  relics^  of  the  Romans  were  kept  by  the  towns-men  of 
C^eres  in  the  French  wars,  at  what  time  the  Frenchmen  in- 
vaded Rome*.  By  which  occasion  it  is  likely  that,  for  remem- 
brance of  the  benefit,  all  the  worship  due  to  God,  and  all  the 
holy  rites  or  customs,  were,  according  to  the  name  of  the 
town,  usually  called  ceremonies.  But  from  whencesoever 
the  word  is  derived,  we  in  this  treatise  use  it  for  the  holy 
deed  of  worshipping  God,  and  the  ecclesiastical  rites  of  sacred 
religion. 

Now  ceremonies  are  holy  rites  belongino;  to  the  ministers  ceremonies 

</  O      O  ^  generally, 

of  religion,  and  also  to  the  place,  time,  and  holy  worship  ex- "^'^''t  "''y 
hibited  to  God ;  all  which,  how  they  ought  to  be  kept  and 

[3  Vol.  I.  p.  209.] 

[4  Servius  Sulpicius  religionem  esse  dictam  tradidit,  quce  propter 
sanctitatem  aliquara  romota  ac  seposita  a  nobis  sit,  quasi  a  relinquendo 
dicta,  ut  a  carendo  cerenionia.  Macrob.  Saturn.  Lib.  in.  cap.  3.  See 
also  Aul.  Gcll.  Noct.  Attic.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  9.  Augustine  adopted  this 
derivation.    Retract,  cap.  37.] 

[5  alii  existimant,  Lat.  omitted:  some  persons  think  that.] 

P  Ceerimoniarum  causam  alii  ab  oppido  Crere  dictam  existimant ; 
alii  a  caritate  dictam  judicant.     Festus,  Lutet,  1576.] 

[■7  Sacra  Romanorum,  Lat.] 

[^  — Sacra  in  plaustrum  imposuit  (L.  Albinius),  ct  Cairo,  quo  iter 
sacerdotibus  orat,  pcrvexit.  Liv.  Lib.  v.  cap.  40.] 


126  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

observed  according  as  they  should  be,  the  laws  called -cere- 
monial do  exactly  teach  and  precisely  describe.  Ceremonies 
therefore  are  the  actions  and  rites,  which  the  laws  or  -rules, 
called  ceremonial,  do  frame  or  appoint. 

Now  ceremonies  are  ordained  either  by  God  or  men.  As 
touching  those  which  God  hath  instituted,  they  are  of  two 
sorts :  the  one  sort  whereof  he  did  ordain  in  the  old  Testa- 
ment to  the  ancient  Israelites ;  and  the  other,  at  the  coming 
of  Christ,  to  us  that  are  the  people  of  the  new  Testament  or 
covenant.  Of  the  ceremonies  of  the  new  Testament  I  mean 
to  speak,  when  I  come  to  treat  of  the  church  and  the  sacra- 
ments thereof.  At  this  time  I  will  discourse  of  the  ceremonies 
of  the  old  Testament,  which  were  holy  rites  and  actions  or- 
dained and  delivered  by  God  himself  to  the  people  of  Israel 
until  the  time  of  amendment,  partly  to  represent,  and  in  a 
shadow  to  shew  ^  the  mysteries  of  God;  and  partly  to  worship 
God  by  them,  and  also  with  them  to  keep  the  people  of  God 
in  a  lawful  religion,  and  in  the  society  of  one  ecclesiastical 
body. 

But  men  also  have  brought  in  very  many  and  sundry 
sorts  of  ceremonies :  as  among  the  heathen  the  arch-flamines 
did,  who  were  the  priests  and  ministers  of  idols ;  which  offices 
and  rooms  both  their  kings  and  princes  did  some  times  supply. 
Among  the  Hebrews,  Jeroboam,  king  of  Israel,  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  him  and  his,  did  change  the  ceremonies  which  God  had 
ordained  into  his  own,  that  is,  into  men's  inventions  and  de- 
testable blasphemies. 

In  this  latter  age  of  the  world,  wherein  we  live,  there  is 
no  ho^  of  ceremonies  that  are  instituted  daily  by  brain-sick^ 
people :  the  misery  whereof  many  learned  men  both  have  and 
do  yet  at  this  day  lament  and  bewail,  Augustine  complaineth 
that  in  his  time  ceremonies  did  increase  too  fast  in  the  church 
of  God:  what  would  he  say  (think  you),  if  he  were  alive  to 
see  them  now-a-days^?  But  of  this  I  will  speak  at  another 
time. 

[1  velandaque,  Lat.  and  to  veil.] 

[2  ho,  i.e.  stop,  bound,  limit.  Johnson.  Sec  Tyndale's  Doctr. 
Treat.  Park.  Soc.  ed.  p.  25.] 

[3  This  epithet  is  not  in  the  Lat.] 

[4  . . .  ipsam  religionem,  quam  paucissimis  et  manifestissimis  cele- 
brationum  sacramentis  misericordia  Dei  esse  liberani  voluit,  servihbus 


v.]  THE   CEREMONIAL  LAWS  OF   GOD.  127 

Now,  for  because  the  word  ceremonies  is  attributed  as  a 
name  to  any  heathenish  rites  whatsoever,  I  in  this  treatise 
would  have  you  to  know,  that  I  speak  not  of  every  ceremony, 
but  of  those  only  which  were  delivered  of  God  by  Moses  to 
the  people  of  Israel;  not  at  the  will  of  Moses,  but  at  the  will 
of  God,  by  the  means  or  ministery  of  Moses,  according  as  it 
was  said  unto  him:  "See,  that  thou  doest  all  thino-s  accordinff  [Exod.xxv. 

®      .  O  40.  Arts  vii. 

to  the  pattern  that  was  shewed  thee  in  the  mountain."     The  4*- ueb.  v.ii. 

original  therefore  or  beginning  of  these  ceremonies,  which  we 

treat  of,  are  referred  to  God  himself,  the  most  true  and  assured 

author  thereof;  and  they  did  therefore  please  God,  because 

they  were  godly,  and  might  be  exhibited  in  faith.     Contrarily, 

the  ceremonies  in  religion  that  are  devised  and  ordained  of 

men  are  utterly  condemned,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  twelfth 

of  Deuteronomy^.      In  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  the  fourth 

of  Kings  also  we  find:  "Israel  walked  in  the  ordinances,  or  [^ Kings 

O  _  ^  '  XVII.  B.  J 

ceremonies,  which  they  themselves  had  made  to  themselves." 
It  is  known  to  all  men,  what  happened  to  Jeroboam  and  his 
household,  and  all  the  kings  of  Israel,  that  walked  in  the  ways 
of  Jeroboam <'.  So  then  these  ceremonies  of  ours,  I  mean,  the 
ceremonies  whereof  I  speak,  are  actions  and  rites  not  in  profane 
but  holy  matters,  which  God  himself  did  first  ordain,  and  which 
God's  people  doth  use  and  exercise. 

These  ceremonies  were  not  delivered  to  all  people  or  na-  n'vinecere- 

*■       ^  monies. 

tions,  but  to  the  people  of  Israel  only,  and  that  too,  as  the 

apostle  saith,  "until  the  time   of  amendment,"  as  that  which  [Heb. ix. lo.] 

should  lie  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  Jews  till  the  coming  of 

Messiah ;   at  what  time  they  should  be  taken  away,  and  after 

that  appear  no  more.      And  in  this  sense,   verily,  the  apostle 

Paul  calleth  the  law  the  schoolmistress '^  until  Christ. 

"We  have,  moreover,  to  note  the  end  whereunto  ceremonies  The  en.i 
were  ordained.     Ceremonies  do  especially  belong  to  the  doc-  mon'ies'were 

ordained. 

trine  of  piety  and  faith.  For  they  were  added  to  the  first 
table,  as  a  shore,  or  prop,  to  uphold  or  stay  it.      For  they 

oneribus  premunt  (ceremonise),  ut  tolerabilior  sit  conditio  Judrcorum. 
— August.  Januario  Ep.  cxix.  Par.  1531.  Tom.  ii.  fol.  112.  col.  1. — 
A  very  similar  passage,  with  the  same  quotation  from  Augustine, 
occurs  in  WiclifFe's  Apology  for  the  Lollards,  Camden  Soc.  ed.  p.  75. 
Lond.  1842.] 

[5  locus  illustris  est  Deutoronomii  xii.  Lat.] 

[0  See  Vol.  i.  pp.  335,  G.]  [7  Gal.  iii.  24;  predagogia,  Lat.] 


128  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

teach  the  outward  worship  of  the  true  God,  which  godlj 
men  do  give  unto  him ;  and  by  them  were  the  Israehtes 
drawn  not  only  from  strange  gods,  but  from  strange  worships 
also,  wherewith  they  were  too  much  and  too  long  inured  and 
trained  up  in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  to  the  end  they  should 
not  have  any  occasion  to  receive  or  admit  any  strange  kinds 
of  worships,  when  they  were  furnished,  and  as  it  were  wrapped 
in  so  exquisite  sorts  of  curious  ceremonies.  This  doth  Moses 
in  the  twelfth  of  Deuteronomy  make  to  be  the  cause  why 
God  appointed  such  busy  ceremonies.  Therefore  ceremonies, 
and  the  use  of  ceremonies,  are  in  the  scripture  expressly  called 

The  worship  the  worship  of  God.  For  with  them  it  pleaseth  God  to  be 
worshipped;  and  with  them  he  did  retain  his  people  in  the 
true  worshipping  of  him,  and  in  the  true  religion  and  com- 
munion of  one  ecclesiastical  body.  For  the  church  is  severed 
and  divided  by  the  admitting  or  bringing  in  of  new  or  strange 
ceremonies ;  as  it  is  evident  in  the  states  and  dealings  of  Sa- 
lomon   and    Jeroboam.      Moreover  the    apostle    Paul    said ; 

1  Cor.  X.  "  Are  not  they  which  eat  of  the  sacrifice  partakers  of  the 
altar,"  and  so  consequently  of  the  whole  religion  ?  Further- 
more, the  chief  or  especial  mysteries  of  Christ  and  his  church 
were  shadowed  in  ceremonies^  and  were  the  sacraments  of  the 
Jewish  people,  wherewith  the  Lord  would  bind  them  unto 
him,  put  them  in  mind  of  his  benefits,  and  lastly,  keep  the 
piety,  obedience,  and  faith  of  his  people  in  ure  and  exercise. 
And  because  the  Lord  did  especially  require  faith  and  faithful 
obedience  at  the  hands  of  his  servants  in  the  observing  of 
ceremonies,  therefore  those  ceremonies  did  not  please  but 
utterly  displease  his  majesty,  so  oft  as  the  people  were  ig- 
norant of  the  meaning  of  the  secret  mysteries  contained  in 
those  figurative  shews;  so  oft,  I  say,  as  they  were  without 
faith,  and  observed  only  the  outward  actions  or  ceremonies, 
without  inward  zeal  and  touch  of  conscience.      For  the  Lord 

When  God    iu   Jcrcmy   crieth    out  and  saith :    "Heap  up  your   burnt- 

when'hemis- ofteriners  with  your  sacrifices,  and  eat  the  flesh  :  for  when   I 

liketh,  cere-  °  '' 

[je?'vii  21    brought  your  fathers  out   of  Egypt,   I  spoke  no  word  unto 
~^^-J  them  of  burnt-off'erings  or  sacrifices ;   but  this  I  commanded 

them,   sajing,  Hearken  unto  and  obey  my  voice,   and  I   will 
CExod.^xx^x.  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people."     And  yet,  in  ano- 
4'^- Numb,     tijcr  place,  we  read   that  the   oftering  of  sacrifices,  and  that 
[1  velata  abscondcbantur,  Lat. ;  being  veiletl,  were  hidden.] 


v.]  THE    CEHEMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  129 

external  action  of  the  people  in  worshipping  God,  was  ac- 
ceptable and  of  a  swect-smelHng  savour  in  the  nose  of  the 
Lord.  Now,  whereupon  riseth  this  diversity,  I  pray  you, 
but  upon  the  difference  of  the  minds  of  them  that  worship 
the  Lord  ?  For  sacrifices  pleased  him,  and  the  honour  that 
was  done  unto  him  in  simple  obedience  and  faith  alone  did 
please  him  too :  but  that  religion  he  did  utterly  mislike  of, 
wherein  he  was  worshipped  with  outward  shews,  and  not 
with  the  faith  and  sincere  obedience  of  the  inward  heart : 
in  which  sort  we  read  that  Cain  did  sin  ;  for  God  commanded 
not  to  sacrifice  in  that  manner  that  Cain  did. 

Again,  he  commanded  to  sacrifice  and  to  worship  him 
•with  external  ceremonies'-  in  faith  that  Christ  should  come  to 
be  the  Saviour  of  the  world^:  not  that  they  should  hope  to  be 
justified  by  the  external  action,  but  by  him  that  was  prefigured 
in  all  their  ceremonies,  Christ  Jesus,  the  sacrifice  once  to  bo 
offered  to  save  them  alH;  who  was  the  life  and  meaning  where- 
unto  all  those  ceremonies  did  lead,  that  are  expressed  in  the 
law. 

But  it  is  not  amiss  here  particularly  to  examine  and  look  The  know- 

II  1  1  1  1  •    r>  •  1  ledge  of  the 

mto  not   ail  and  every  one,  but  the  chieiest  ceremonies,  and  ceremonies 

''  ,        ,  ^  is  not  unpro- 

those  which  are  more  significant  than  the  rest.  Let  this  la-  f^^^^e. 
hour  of  mine  not  seem  to  any  man  to  be  more  curious  than 
needcth,  or  less  profitable  than  it  sheweth  for.  For  it  is 
undoubtedly  very  available  to  the  sound  understanding  of  the 
abrogation  of  the  law^.  All  things,  whatsoever  God  hath  laid 
down  in  the  holy  scriptures,  are  altogether  profitable  to  our 
edification,  and  do  carry  with  them  a  divine  authoi-ity,  whereby 
we  may  confirm  our  minds :  they  therefore  are  very  fools 
and  godless  people,  or,  to  use  a  more  gentle  term,  they  are 
shuttle- witted'',  and  ignorant  of  all  good  things,  whose  sto- 
machs do  rise  at  the  ceremonies  that  God  hath  taught,  and 
whose  ears  are  offended  to  hear  a  sober  and  godly  treatise 
upon  the  exposition  of  those  divine  ceremonies.  Some  there 
are,  and  that  no  small  number,  who  think  it  very  profitable 

[2  legitime  et,  Lat.  omitted  :  lawfully,  ami.] 
[3  in  fide  Christi  venturi  Messia?,  Lat.] 
[■*  the  sacrifice — all;  not  in  the  original.] 

[}>  rather,  of  the  law  that  has  been  abrogated  :  Icgis  abrogatfc,  Lat.] 
[c  temcrarii,  Lat.  Shittle  or  shuttle;  light,  volatile,  giddy.  Richard- 
son's Diet,  in  voc] 

[BULLINGER,   II. J 


130 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


The  sum  of 
the  cere- 
monies. 


and  an  excellent  thing  to  construe  Homer  and  Virgil  allego- 
rically;  in  divine  ceremonies  only  foolish  heads  are  persuaded 
that  no  profit  or  wisdom  lieth  secretly  hidden :  when  indeed, 
in  all  the  world  again,  there  is  nothing  more  profitable,  more 
pleasant,  more  fine,  more  excellent,  or  more  full  of  wisdom 
in  allegorical  types,  than  the  ceremonies  are  that  God  hath 
ordained.  For  in  them  are  the  mysteries  of  Christ  and  his 
catholic  church  very  finely,  plainly,  and  notably  described. 

Now,  in  reckoning  up  and  touching  these  several  cere- 
monies, I  will  chiefly  follow  the  very  natural  order.  Cere- 
monies do  appertain  to  the  ecclesiastical  worship  of  God. 
Therefore  it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  persons  appointed 
in  the  church  to  be  the  masters,  or  rather  public  ministers,  of 
those  ceremonies,  to  exercise  and  put  them  in  practice,  as  the 
Lord  ordained  them.  It  is  necessary  also,  that  there  be  a 
certain  place  and  time  appointed,  wherein  and  when  God 
should  be  especially  worshipped  rather  than  at  another  place 
or  season.  Moreover,  the  holy  rites,  that  is,  the  very  cere- 
monies, must  be  appointed  and  certainly  numbered,  that  the 
worshippers  of  God  may  know  what  and  how  great  the  honour 
is  that  they  are  bound  to  give  unto  him.  And  first  of  all,  I 
mean  to  say  somewhat  of  the  persons,  that  is,  the  priests  or 
Levites;  referring  still  the  hearers  to  the  reading  of  the  holy 
Bible,  wherein  the  whole  is  fully  contained  and  largely  de- 
scribed. 

The  beginning  of  priesthood  among  the  old  people  is 
derived  or  brought  from  the  creation  almost*:  for  they  say, 
that  in  every  family  the  first-begotten  were  always  the  priests. 
It  is  certain,  that,  when  the  firstborn  of  Egypt  were  slain, 
the  Lord  did  by  a  law  consecrate  to  himself  the  first-begotten 
of  the  Israelites.  And  the  preeminence,  or  dignity,  of  the 
first-begotten  hath  always  been  very  great  by  the  civil  law-. 
The  first-begotten  did  always  rule  and  bear  the  sway  in  his 
father's  house,  and  was,  as  it  were,  a  king  among  his  bre- 
thren :  to  the  first-begotten  the  inheritance  was  due,  to  the 
other  brethren  were  portions  given :  the  first-begotten  did 
I  think  his  excel  the  rest  in  the  dignity  of  the  priesthood.  Therefore 
tS^hav"e*yaf  when  Cain  and  Abel  did  strive  about  their  birthright,  they 

[^  In  his  treatise  do  Episcop.  instit.  et  funct.  cap.  i.  Bullingcr  shews 
that  ho  here  follows  the  vetus  Jtidceorum  traditio.] 

[2  vel  in  legibus  civilibus,  Lat. :  oven  in  civil  laws.] 


The  begin- 
ning of 
priesthood, 


[Exod.  xiii 
2,  15.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  131 

contended  not  about  a  trifle,  but  about  a  matter  of  very  great  Esau  and 

.    1  •xT-'i  ...  •  1    •       V     1        Jacnb.instead 

weight,     u hereupon,  when  the  mother-virgin  is  said  in  Luke  "ft'a'n  and 
to  have  borne  the  first-begotten  son,   let  no  man  think  that  christ  the 

°  first-begot- 

she  was  the  mother  of  the  second-begotten,  or  many  sons  "?"• 
more.  For  in  that  Luke  calleth  Christ  her  first-begotten  [Luke  a.  7.] 
son,  therein  is  noted  his  dignity  and  excellency.  For  to 
Christ  our  Lord  doth  belong  the  kingdom,  priesthood,  and 
inheritance :  by  whose  bountiful  liberality  we  are  adopted 
to  be  his  partners  both  in  the  kingdom,  priesthood,  and  in- 
heritance of  life  everlasting  and  all  heavenly  things. 

But  to  return  to  our  purpose  again.    The  dignity  of  priest- 
hood,  among  the  people  of  Israel,  did  of  right  belong  to 
Reuben,  because  he  was  the  first-begotten  ;  but  he,  by  commit-  £^|"-  ''''"• 
ting  detestable  incest,  did  lose  his  right.     Next  to  him,  there-  ichron.v.  1.] 
fore,  was  Levi^,  who  also  lost  that  dignity  for  the  sin  which  [Oen.  xxxiv. 
he   committed  in   killing  the    men   of    Sychem    traitorously,  ^j'^'^^^^ wte 
and  profaning  the  sacrament  of  circumcision.      But  because  p"^*'*- 
the  tribe  of  Levi  did  behave  itself  manfully,  not  only  in  the 
bringing  of  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  but  also  in 
punishing  idolaters,   I   mean,   the  men  that  worshipped  the 
golden  calf;  therefore  did  they  receive  the  office  or  dignity 
of  priesthood  in  reward  of  their  virtue,   and  at   that  time 
were  the  Levites  chosen  to  the  place  of  the  first-begotten  of 
all  the  seed  of  Israel.     For  thus  we  read:  *'And  Moses  said  goi.  xxxu. 
unto  the  Levites,   Consecrate  your  hands  unto  the  Lord  this 
day,  every  man  upon  his  son,    and  upon  his  brother ;   that 
there  may  a  blessing  be  given  you  this  day."      And  again  : 
"  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,   saying,   Behold,  I  have  fiar'n."'* 
taken  the  Levites  from  among  the  children  of  Israel  for  all 
that  first  openeth  the  matrice  among  the  children  of  Israel ; 
and  the  Levites  shall  be  mine ;  because  all  the  firstborn  are 
mine :  for  the  same  day  that  I  smote  all  the  firstborn  in  the 
land  of  Egypt,  I  hallowed  to  myself  all  the  firstborn  in  Is- 
rael."    And  so  forth.     By  this  it  appeareth  that  the  tribe  of 
Levi  was  appointed  to  the  priesthood  in  the  church  of  Israel. 
Moreover  this  dignity,  or  ministry,  was  singularly  confirmed 
to   this  tribe   immediately  upon  the  insurrection  of  Korab, 
Dathan,  and  Abiron,  by  the  wonderful  miracle  that  the  Lord 

[3  This  correction  of  tho  translator  is  perhaps  not  necessary.   Bul- 
linger  probably  took  Calvin's  view. — Conf.  Calv.  Comment,  in  loc] 
[*  successit  ergo  Levi,  Lat.] 

9 — 2 


132  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

wrought  upon  Aaron's  rod,  which  budded  alone  among  the 
other  eleven  twigs,  for  a  witness  that  God  had  appointed  the 
tribe  of  Levi  alone  to  the  office  and  function  of  holy  priesthood. 
And  for  that  cause  was  the  same  rod  put  into  the  ark,  and 
kept  in  the  tabernacle,  to  the  end  that  none  other  tribe  should 
affect  the  priesthood  at  any  time  thereafter.  All  which  is 
largely  declared  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  chapters  of 
the  Book  of  Numbers. 
Certain de-  Now  there  was  amono;  the  Levites  a  certain  order;  there 

grees  among  ,  .  .  i  /¥• 

the  priests,  ^ere  dogroes,  and,  as  it  were,  appomtments  unto  sundry  offices. 
For  the  Levites  were  divided  into  three  families,  that  is,  into 
Cahatites^  Gcrsonites,  and  Merarites  :  and  they  again  were 
parted  into  four  orders.  For  first  of  all,  out  of  the  family  of 
Cahat  were  chosen  princes,  to  bear  the  sway  and  rule  the 
rest :  to  them  the  remnant  of  the  Cahatites,  and  the  other 
two  orders,  the  Gersonites  and  Merarites,  were  subject,  and  did 
obey  the  first  sort  of  Cahatites  that  were  their  governors. 
For  Aaron,  the  chief  priest,  with  Ithamar  and  Eleazar  his 
sons,  had  the  preeminence  among  the  rest.  For  thus  we  read 
in  the  third  of  Numbers :  "  And  thou  shalt  give  the  Levites 
unto  Aaron  and  to  his  sons ;  for  they  are  given  unto  him  of 
the  children  of  Israel.  And  thou  shalt  appoint  Aaron  and 
his  sons  to  wait  on  their  priests'  office ;  and  the  stranger 
that  Cometh  nigh  shall  be  slain."  Therein  did  Aaron,  the 
chief  priest,  bear  the  type  or  figure  of  Christ,  the  true,  the 
best,  and  greatest  king  and  bishop,  to  whom  all  Christians 
are  subject,  as  to  their  chief  bishop  and  head,  whose  dwelling 
is  in  heaven-. 

Among  the  And  here  observe,  that  all  the  Levites  did  not  serve  in  the 

Levites  such  iiTi 

were  chosen  tabcmacle,  uor  that  they  all  did  everywhere  throus-h  the  land 

to  the  mmis-  '  </  «/  o 

mosTfiTfor    ^^  Israel  instruct  and  teach.      There  were  certain  ordinances 
"•  touchino;  the  choice  and  refusal  of  those  amonfr  the  Levites 

that  were  to  be  called  to  the  ministry  or  priesthood.  Time  will 
not  serve  me  to  reckon  all  the  laws  appointed  for  that  purpose ; 
the  chief  whereof  are  to  be  seen  in  the  twenty-first  and  twen- 
ty-second chapters  of  Leviticus.  In  the  eighth  chapter  of  the 
book  of  Numbers  the  age  is  appointed  of  them  that  should  be 
thought  fit  for  the  ministry;  that  is,  from  the  twenty-fifth  to 
the  fiftieth  year  of  their  age.  The  priests,  that  were  called 
[1  Cahatites:  Kohathites.] 
[2  quorum  ipse  summus  pontifox  et  caput  in  coelis  est,  Lat.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  133 

and  chosen  to  the  ministry,  were  also  consecrated.  The 
manner  of  consecrating  them  is  far  more  large  and  busy 
than  that  I  can  in  few  words  declare  it.  By  their  consecra- 
tion was  meant,  that  they  ought  to  be  adorned  with  sundry 
gifts,  and  endued  with  holy  conversation,  that  serve  the  church 
in  the  office  of  priesthood.  For  to  this  doth  especially  belong 
the  anointing  of  the  priests,  which  is  a  type  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  wherewithal  unless  an  ecclesiastical  minister  be  endued,  i  john  n. 
he  exerciseth  the  office  to  his  own  destruction.  This  ceremo- 
nial anointing  of  priests  is  set  down  by  Moses  in  the  twenty- 
ninth  of  Exodus,  the  eighth  of  Leviticus,  and  the  eighth 
chapter  of  the  book  of  Numbers.  To  this  we  must  add  also 
the  habit  or  apparel  that  the  priests  did  use.  The  priests 
ware,  when  they  did  not  minister  in  their  charge  or  office, 
such  kind  of  garments  as  laymen  did,  as  we  may  gather  out 
of  EzechieP;  but  when  they  did  serve  in  the  ministry,  then 
did  they  wear  ceremonial  raiment  according  to  God's  com- 
mandment. A  very  large  description  whereof  Moses  doth 
very  well  set  down  in  the  twenty-eighth  and  thirty-ninth 
chapters  of  Exodus. 

There  are  in  number  nine  sorts  of  ceremonial  garments'*;  Thepnesu 

.  ^  raiment. 

yet  some  do  reckon  up  but  eight ;  Josephus  maketh  ten^ 
First  of  all,  the  priests,  before  they  went  about  their  offices, 
did  wash  themselves  in  water*',  and  then  put  on  their  holy 
garments.  Among  those  garments,  some  there  were  indiffer- 
ently used  both  of  the  inferior  and  chief  priests.  And  first, 
their  privities  are  hidden  with  linen  breeches  coming  down  Breeches, 
to  their  knees  and  hams ;  the  upper  part  whereof  was  tied 
above  their  hips  with  a  gathering  band,  like  the  upper  part  of 
our  common  slops'^,  to  the  end  that,  if  they  should  chance  to 

[3  Ezek.  xlii.  14. — alicnis,  id  est,  vulgaribus  vcstimentis  amicti 
(saccrdotes)  multitudini  admiscebantur.  CEcolampadius,  Commont.  in 
loc.  cit.  fol.  264.  Argent,  1534.] 

[•*  In  tlio  following  account  of  the  garments  of  the  Jewish  priests 
BuUinger  has  largely  borrowed  from  Jerome's  Epist.  ad  Fabiolam,  do 
veste  sacerdotali.  Ilieron.  0pp.  Par.  1G93 — 170G.  Tom.  ii.  col.  574,  &c.] 

[5  Joseph.  Antiq.  Lib.  in.  cap.  7.] 

[«  aqua  munda,  Lat.  pure  water.] 

["^  caligaruni  nostrarum,  Lat.  Slops :  trowsers,  Johnson.  Homily 
(Oxf.  cd.  1832,  p.  285)  Against  excess  of  Apparel.  But  the  corre- 
sponding word  in  the  auth.  ver.  of  Isai.  iii.  20,  there  quoted,  is  "tho 
ornaments  of  the  legs."] 


134 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


The  girdle 


fall,  while  they  were  busy  in  killing  their  sacrifices,  or  in 
bearing  of  burdens  to  and  fro,  the  parts  should  not  appear 
which  shame  doth  bid  to  cover. 

Upon  their  linen  breeches  they  had  a  close  coat,  made  of 
double  linen,  which  (as  Josephus  saith)  was  made  of  silk^ 
That  was  plain,  or  close  to  the  body,  without  plait  or  gather- 
ing2,  and  came  down  just  to  the  calf  of  the  leg.  Such^  were 
soldiers  wont  to  wear,  and  called  them  cassocks^ ;  so  fit  for 
their  limbs  and  close  to  their  bodies,  that  they  were  light,  and 
without  let  either  to  run  or  fight.  And  therefore  the  priests, 
making  themselves  ready  to  the  ministery  of  God,  put  on  such 
a  cassock,  that,  being  comely  clad,  they  might,  notwithstand- 
ing, with  much  expedition  discharge  their  ofl&ce,  and  exercise 
their  ministery. 

The  third  kind  of  raiment,  that  was  a  belt  or  girdle, 
did  gird  that  cassock  about  the  priest.  This  girdle  was 
woven  of  purple,  scarlet,  and  blue  silk^  like  to  an  adder's 
skin,  hanging  down  beneath  the  knee,  but  in  the  holy  min- 
istery tucked  up  again  upon  the  left  shoulder*'. 

The  fourth  kind  of  ornament  was  a  mitre,  or  a  round  little 
cap,  which  covered  his  head  almost  to  the  ears,  in  fashion  like 
as  if  a  man  should  cut  a  bowl  even  in  the  midst,  and  set  the 
upper  part  upon  his  head^. 

Then  was  the  ephod,  (whereof  mention  is  made,  not  in 
Exodus,  where  the  ceremonial  garments  are  reckoned  up  as 
it  were  of  purpose,  but  in  other  places  of  holy  scripture,) 
which  garment  was  indifferently  common  to  all  the  priests. 
1  Sam.  ii.  18.]  This  ephod  is  thought  to  have  been  a  linen  cloak  ;  such  an 
^2  Sam.  vi.  Que  as  David  ware  when  he  danced  before  the  ark.  Of  the 
priests  which  Saul  slew  by  the  hands  of  Doeg  the  Edomite, 
:i  Sam.  xxii.  thus  WO  read :  '*  And  he  killed  that  same  day  eighty-five  men 
that  ware  Hnen  ephods."  His  meaning  is,  not  that  they 
were  slain  while  the  ephods  were  on  their  backs  ;  but  that 
they  were  killed,  when  they  were  of  that  age  and  order,  that 

[1  — StTrX^f  aivbovos  ^vaaivTjs.     Joseph,  ibid.  ^S  2.  Exod.  xxviii.  40.] 
[2  Adhceret  corpori  plana,  Lat.j  [3  lineas,  Lat.] 

[4  camisia,  Lat.  a  linen  coat,  which  soldiers  wore  close  to  their 
body.     Ainsworth.] 

[5  bysso  hyacinthoque.     Lat.  and  Joseph,  ibid,  fifra  vaKivQov  Koi 

[«  Joseph,  ibid,  j^  2.] 

[T  Joseph,  ibid.  §  3.  Exod.  xxviii.  40.] 


The  Ephod. 


[Judg.  X 
5 ;  xviii. 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  135 

they  might  wear  an  ephod ;  that  is,  that  they  might  minister 
in  the  priesthood  of  the  Lord.  Therefore  in  Osee  we  read,  [hos.  m.  4.] 
"Thou  shalt  be  without  ephod,  and  teraphim;"  that  is,  with- 
out priesthood  and  rehgion.  For  the  ephod  began  to  be  used 
for  the  very  priesthood ;  the  garment,  or  the  sign,  for  the 
thing  signified.  But  if  any  man  will  take  these  words  of  Osee 
to  be  spoken  of  the  more  notable  ephod  (of  which  I  shall 
have  cause  to  speak  anon),  I  will  not  greatly  gainsay  him. 
Now  this  linen  ephod  seemeth  not  to  diifer  much  from  that 
which  the  Papists  do^  call  a  surplice^.  These  five  garments 
the  chief  priest  and  under  priests  did  use  alike.  The  other 
four  do  properly  belong  to  the  high  priest  alone. 

The  first  of  the  four  w^as  called  mcgil,  and  was  a  coat  The  megiu 
down  to  the  ancles^" ;  a  garment  of  all  blue  silk,  from  the  neck 
down  to  the  sole  of  the  foot,  being  close  on  every  side,  unless 
it  were  the  places  to  put  his  head  and  arms  out  at :  at  the 
hems  beneath  did  hang  seventy-two  bells,  and  as  many  pome- 
granates, so  placed  that  still  between  two  bells  there  hung 
one  pomegranate,  and  betwixt  two  pomegranates  one  bell : 
the  cause  thereof  is  made  to  be  this,  that,  when  the  high 
priest  went  into  the  holy  of  holies,  the  sound  might  be  heard  ; 
because  he  should  by  and  by  die  the  death  unless  he  did  so". 

Now  foUoweth  the  ephod  of  the  high  priest,  which  diifer-  The  breast- 
eth  much  from  that  whereof  I  spake  before.  For  it  was  not  pnests  '^ 
of  linen,  but  woven  with  weaver's  work  of  divers  colours  of 
gold,  purple,  and  silk ;  being  unlike  to  the  other  in  shape  and 
making.  For  it  belonged  to  the  high  priests  alone,  and  was 
a  breast-lap,  coming  over  the  bulk  from  the  neck  to  the  hips : 
for,  like  a  curet'^  it  covered  the  breast;  it  came  over  the 
hinder  part  of  the  shoulders,  and  about  both  the  sides  under 
the  arm-holes:  bearing  the  same  fashion  that  at  this  day 
women's  stomachers  do,  which  we  Switzers  call  lihli^^.  This 
ephod  be  ware  upon  the  top  of  his  megil,  that  came  down  to 

[8  hodie,  Lat.  omitted :  at  this  day.] 

[9  pallium,  camisiam,  vel  vcstem  chori,  Lat.] 

[10  vestis  inquam  sinuosa,  Lat.  omitted:   a  plaited  garment.] 

[11  Exod.  xxviii.  31-35.    Joseph,  ibid.  ^^  4.] 

[12  curet,  or  curict,  a  breastplate  or  corslet,  from  cta'r,  leather ; 
breastplates  being  at  first  made  of  that  material.  Toono's  Glossary 
in  voc.] 

[13  The  word  which  Luther's  version  has  is  leihrock.'] 


136  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

the  ancles'.     Upon  each  shoulder  he  bare  an   onyx-stone, 

[Exod.xxviii.  called   schoham^;    wherein  were   craven   the  names  of  the 
a—ii.}  .  . 

children  of   Israel :    against   the   breast   there   was  nothing 

woven  in  it,  but  a  place  was  left  void  for  the  breast-lap  of 
The  breast-  judgment.  For  the  breast-lap  of  judgment,  which  is  called 
ment.  hoseu,  was  the  eighth  ornament  of  their  attire ;  and  it  was  a 

woven  cloth  made  of  gold,  purple,  and  silk,  about  an  hand- 
breadth  square,  and  double,  and  hemmed  about  on  every  side, 
because  it  should  not  ravel  out.  In  that  there  was  woven 
precious  stones  of  a  wonderful  greatness  (for  the  kind)  and  of 
a  marvellous  price  ;  which  were  placed  so  in  four  sundry  rows, 
that  every  rank  contained  three  stones ;  in  which,  as  in  the 
onyx-stones,  were  graven  the  names  of  the  children  of  Israel^. 
They  glistered  with  a  wonderful  brightness ;  for  no  stones 
were  set  in  the  breast-lap  but  such  as  shone  exceedingly. 
[Exod.xxviii.  Whereby  it  seemeth  that  Urim  and  Thummim  was  nothing 


Urim  and 


Thuramim.  ^^^®  ^^^  thosc  rows  of  prcclous  stones :  for  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim signify  light  and  perfectness ;  for,  as  these  stones  did 
give  great  light,  so  were  they  pure  without  all  manner  of 
spots.  And  they  thought  that  the  high  priest  did  never  say 
right  in  a  matter  of  weight,  nor,  when  he  was  asked,  did 
utter  truly  the  answers  and  oracles  of  God,  but  when  the 
breast-lap  of  judgment  did  hang  on  his  breast.  Now  this 
breast-lap  of  judgment  was  tied  to  the  ephod,  or  the  other 
breast-lap,  by  golden  rings  beneath  ;  and  above,  it  hung  down 
the  shoulders  by  golden  chains,  that  were  fastened  under  the 
onyx-stones.  This  was  the  most  precious  and  excellent  part 
of  the  high  priest's  apparel.  For  it  was  the  coffer  of  wisdom, 
and  treasure  of  all  law  and  knowledge,  of  equity  and  justice, 
from  whence  the  Israelites  did  fetch,  as  it  were,  the  determi- 
nate answers  to  such  doubts  as  at  any  time  they  stuck  upon : 
which  is  the  cause  (as  it  seemeth)  that  some  have  translated 
Urim  and  Thummim  into  the  Greek  ^t'jXcoai^  kuI   dXrjOeia'^ -, 

[1  Joseph,  ibid.  §  5.  and  dc  Bell.  Jiid.  Lib.  v.  cap.  5.  §  7.] 

[2  goimna)  pretiosas,  Lat.  omitted  :  precious  stones.] 

[3  Exod.  xxviii.  15-29.  Josephus,  ib.  §  5.] 

[■*  Levit.  viii.  8.  LXX.  ineOrjKfv  tnl  to  \oye~iov  rrjv  di'/Xcocriv  Km  rijv 
iiKrjBfiav.  Hoc  vcro  quid  significabatur  aliud,  quam  quod  in  ]iectore 
sacordotis  debet  esse  verum  judicium  do  rebus  divinis,  quod  doinde  non 
sibi  retineat,  sed  coram  ecclesia  profcrat  cum  veritate  ? — BuUinger.  do 
Epic,  instlt.  et  funct.  Lib.  li.  fol.  70.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  137 

that  is  (say  they)    doctrine    and    truth    is    in    the    priest's 
breast. 

The  last  of  all  is  the  golden  plate.      For  upon  the  high  The  gouen 
priest's  head  there  was  a  blue  silk  lace,  whereupon  this  plate ''  ^  ^' 
was  put,  which  was  broad  beneath  and  sharp  above;  in  fashion 
somewhat  like  to  the  label  of  a  bishop's  mitre ;  wherein  was 
written,  "  Holy  to  the  Lord,"  or,  "The  hohness  of  the  Lord." 
For   Christ,    our   Lord,  alone  is  holiest  of  all,  and  he  that 
sanctifieth  us  all.      lie  is  an  antichrist  that  doth  usurp  that 
name  or  title.      Some  think,  that  in  that  plate  was  written 
that  name  of  God  that  was  not  lawful  for  any  man  to  utter^.  That  name 
This  plate  was  tied  to  the  cap<^,  full  upon  the  forehead,  with  a  which  w°i«e'- 
blue  silk  lace,  and  was  as  it  were  a  crown  upon  his  head^  Israelites  did 

.  ,  -^  nnd  It  writ- 

Thus,  I  say,  were  the  high  priest  and  under  priests  arrayed  |fo"t'can^eho 
at  the  first.  ^  iSlt^b;' 

These  sundry  ceremonies  have  sundry  and  godly  signifi-  Adonal!^ 
cations.      The  use  and  end  of  these  ordinances  the  Lord  de-  fieth  Lord":'' 
Glared  by  Moses  to  be  for  glory  and  comeliness'  sake :  for  they  dufthey^ 

•  1       /.  1  •       .  o  T  1        .        reverence 

were  mvented,  partly  for  the  Avmnmg  of  credit  and  authority  themajcsiicai 
to  the  ministers  of  religion,  and  partly  for  the  commendation 
or  advancement  of  religion  itself;  because  the  things  are  most 
regarded,  that  are  set  forth  with  so  great  solemnity.  More- 
over, it  was  profitable  and  especially  necessary  with  these 
busy  ceremonies  to  set  awork  the  people,  which,  if  they  had 
been  without  such  ceremonies  of  their  own,  was  very  profane, 
and  ready  to  have  embraced  the  idolatrous  rites  of  heathen 
nations. 

Furthermore,  those  ceremonial  clothes,  used  by  the  priests.  The  meaning 
xVaron's  successors,  do  off'cr  to  us  the  beholding  ^  of  Christ,  the  apparef! 
true  and  highest  priest.  lie  was  apparelled  with  the  garment 
of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  virtue ;  which  garment  is 
common  unto  us  also.  For  all  Christians  must  put  on  and  be 
clad  with  Christ.  And  yet  Christ  hath  the  pre-eminence,  as 
the  high  and  chiefest  priest  among  us  all;  not  only  because  he 

[^  In  qua  (i.  e.  lamina  aurea)  scriptum  est  nomcn  Dei  Ilebraicis 
qiiattuor  litterisj^^'of/,  he,  vav,  he,  quod  apud  illos  ineiVabile  nuncupatur. 
llieron.  Ep.  ad  Fabiol.  Tom.  ii.  col.  581.  Tar.  1G93 — 170G.J 

[c  commune  omniimi  sacerdotum.  Lat.  omitted :  which  was  com- 
mon to  all  the  priests.] 

[7  E.Kod.  xxviii.  3G-38.     Joseph,  ibid.  §  G.] 

[^  cxhibcnt  spectandum,  Lat.] 


138  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

doth  sanctify  us,  and  endue  us  with  virtue;  but  also  because 
he  hath  certain  properties  pecuhar  to  himself,  as  he  that  is 
both  very  God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  He  beareth  us 
upon  his  breast  and  shoulders,  as  Aaron  did  the  precious  stones': 
for  we  are  not  vile,  but  very  dear,  in  the  sight  of  God.  Out 
of  the  breast  of  our  high  priest,  Christ,  doth  ghster  and  shine 
the  light  of  eternal  wisdom  :  for  in  him,  as  it  were  in  the 
treasury  of  God's  eternal  wisdom,  are  all  the  riches  of  know- 
ledge and  wisdom  laid  up  and  locked.  He  is  the  light  of  the 
world ;  he  is  both  truth  and  perfectness ;  so  that  all  the  world 
should  of  right  require  and  seek  at  Christ  alone  for  laws,  or- 
dinances, answers,  and  whatsoever  else  is  needful  to  perfectness 
and  true  happiness.  He  is  the  Holy  of  hohes,  the  very  majesty 
and  hohness  of  God:  upon  his  head  is  the  crown  of  glory 
very  rightly  placed,  as  he  that  sanctifieth  only,  reigneth  in 
glory,  and  liveth  for  evermore. 

Besides  all  this,  the  priests  were  by  these  ceremonies 
taught  to  understand,  by  their  very  apparel,  what  was  re- 
quired at  their  hands,  and  what  kind  of  men  they  ought  to 
be.  Let  the  priests  be  always  ready  to  the  executing  of 
their  office ;  let  them  walk  honestly  before  God  and  men ;  let 
them  be  temperate  and  far  from  lust  and  sensuality;  let  their 
loins  be  girded  with  the  belt  of  justice  and  verity;  let  their 
breast,  their  sides,  and  back  be  furnished  with  the  word  of 
God;  let  their  head  be  covered  with  the  helmet  of  salvation; 
upon  that  let  Christ  Jesus,  the  Saviour,  be  placed;  and  let 
him  be  the  chief  of  the  ministers  and  of  the  ministry:  but 
chiefly  let  the  priest  be  heard  in  the  church :  for  if  he  be 
dumb,  he  shall  die  the  death;  but  if  he  ring  out  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  and  preach  his  law,  then  doth  he  stir  up  in  the 
church  a  savour,  far  passing  the  smell  of  sweet  pomegranates, 
in  the  nose  of  God.  Therefore  under  these  clothes  is  hidden 
the  signification  of  the  priests'  manners,  of  their  virtues  and 
vices.  Next  after  a  man's  talk,  there  is  nothing  that  doth 
commend  him  sooner  than  his  apparel.  For  as  the  man  is, 
such  is  his  talk,  such  is  his  clothing:  therefore  the  raiment 
doth  note  of  what  conversation  the  priest  ought  to  be.  Where- 
upon it  Cometh  that  in  the  scriptures  we  are  bidden  to  put 
on  other  clothing;  when  the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is, 

[1  Gestat  nos  in  humeris  suis  et  in  pectore  suo,  vehiti  gemmas  pre- 
tiosas,  Lat.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    L.VWS    OF    GOD.  139 

that  we  should  change  our  wicked  conversation:  so  that  the 
very  garments  do  partly  instruct  the  priests  what  they  have 
to  do,  and  what  is  seemly  for  them. 

But  now  the  time  and  course  of  this  treatise  inviteth  me  The  priests- 

ofhee. 

to  speak  somewhat  of  the  priests'  office.  Their  office  did  con- 
sist in  many  things,  but  especially  in  teaching  and  instructing.  Let  priest* 
For  the  chief  cause  why  the  priests  were  ordained  of  God 
vras  to  instruct  the  church  in  true  piety,  and  to  teach  the 
people  the  law  of  God.  For  thus  we  read  that  the  Lord  did 
say  unto  Aaron:  "Thou  and  thy  sons  that  are  with  thee,  shall 
drink  neither  wine  nor  strong  drink,  when  ye  enter  into  the 
tabernacle  of  witness,  lest  haply  ye  die.  Let  it  be  an  ever- 
lasting ordinance  among  your  posterities,  that  ye  may  put 
difference  both  betwixt  holy  and  unholy,  and  betwixt  clean 
and  unclean ;  and  that  ye  may  teach  the  sons  of  Israel  all  the 
statutes  which  the  Lord  hath  spoken  unto  them  by  the  minis- 
tery  of  Moses."  Levit.  x.  The  same  law  doth  Ezechiel  in  as 
many  words  almost  rehearse  in  the  forty-fourth  chapter  of 
his  prophecy.  And  ]\Ialachi  declareth  it  also,  as  it  is  to  be 
seen  in  the  second  of  his  prophecy.  They  therefore  are  utterly 
deceived,  which  think  that  the  Levitical  priests  were  appointed 
only  for  to  kill  the  sacrifices.  Moreover,  the  Lord  doth  every 
where  in  his  laws  minister  matter  for  the  Levitical  priests  to 
instruct  the  people  in ;  and  that  matter  was  not  the  heathenish 
philosophy,  the  edicts  of  kings,  or  decrees  of  senators,  but  the 
very  word  of  God,  dehvered  to  them  by  God  himself.  And 
that  this  doctrine  might  be  the  more  commodiously  uttered  to 
the  people,  the  priests  appointed  certain  holy  days  2,  wherein 
the  people  should  assemble  together,  to  hear  them  preach  the 
word  of  God. 

The  next  point  of  their  duty  ^  after  teaching,  was  to  bless  Let  them 
the  people.  That  blessing  was  not  free  for  every  priest  to 
use  as  he  listed,  but  was  bound  to  a  certain  form  of  words, 
very  solemnly  uttered,  which  is  thus  expressed  in  the  sixth  of 
Numbers:  "And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying.  Speak  Num^.  vi. 
unto  Aaron  and  his  sons,  saying,  On  this  wise  ye  shall  bless 
the  children  of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them :  The  Lord  bless  thee 
and  keep  thee:  the  Lord  shew  his  face  unto  thee,  and   bo 

[2  indicebant  fastos,  Lat.] 

[3  non  niiniinum  officiorum,  Lat. :  and  that,  not  the  least  of  thoir 
duties.] 


140  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

merciful  unto  thee;  the  Lord  hft  up  his  countenance  upon  thee, 
and  give  thee  peace."  This  manner  of  blessing  did  they  use 
undoubtedly  in  their  holy  assemblies,  especially  at  the  break- 
ing up  of  the  congregation,  when  the  people  did  depart.  In 
another  place  it  is  said,  that  God  did  bless;  but  here,  that 
Aaron  and  his  sons  did  bless  the  people  :  whereupon  we  have  to 
note,  that  God  doth  work  inwardly,  and  perform  in  the  faithful, 
whatsoever  the  priests  in  that  form  of  blessing  did  wish  unto 
the  people  1;  so  that  still  to  bless  is  the  only  and  proper  work 
of  God  alone.  And  therefore,  very  significantly,  after  that 
solemn  blessing  uttered  by  the  mouth  of  the  priest,  God  doth 
add:  "And  they  shall  call,  or  put,  my  name  over,  or  upon  the 
children  of  Israel;  and  I  will  bless  them."  The  priests,  there- 
fore, do  lay  before  the  people  the  name  of  the  Lord;  they 
commend  unto  them  the  mighty  power  of  his  Godhead;  and 
shew  them  that  all  goodness  doth  flow  from  God,  teach 2  them 
how  they  may  obtain^  it  through  faith  in  Christ,  who  is  the 
blessed  Seed  that  blesseth  all  them  that  call  upon  his  name. 

Now  in  this  solemn  blessing  six  principal  points  are  chiefly 
contained.  First  the  priest  saith,  "The  Lord  bless  thee:"  that 
is,  the  Lord  bestow  upon  thee  whatsoever  belongeth  to  the 
safety  of  thy  body  and  soul.  Secondarily  he  saith,  "The  Lord 
keep  thee; "  for  it  is  not  sufficient  to  receive  good  things '^  at  the 
hand  of  the  Lord,  unless  they  be  preserved  by  his  power,  and 
not  taken  from  us  by  his  wrathful  indignation,  nor  lost  again 
by  our  own  negligence.  Thirdly  he  saith,  "The  Lord  shew 
thee  his  face,"or,  "the Lord  make  his  face  shine  upon  thee."  The 
Lord  doth  then  shew  us  his  lovins:  face,  when  after  his  an^er 
he  sheweth  us  his  favour,  and  doth  become  good  and  gracious 
to  us.  And  therefore  in  the  fourth  clause  doth  follow  a  more 
plain  exposition,  where  the  priest  saith,  "The  Lord  be  merciful 
unto  thee:"  as  if  he  should  have  said.  The  Lord  be  always  gentle 
and  favourable  unto  thee  in  all  that  thou  gocst  about,  either 
in  words  or  deeds.  The  fifth  blessing  is,  "The  Lord  lift  up  his 
countenance  upon  thee."  Now  the  Lord  liftcth  up  his  counte- 
nance, when  he  looketh  upon  us,  when  he  watchcth  over  us, 
and  doth  direct  and  guide  our  ways.  The  last  desire  is, 
"Peace;"  which  is  taken  for  the  salvation  and  chief  goodness 

[•  cxternis  scnsibus  ingcrunt  saccrdotcs,  Lat.] 

[2  teaching,  cd,  1577.]  [^  possimus,  Lat.] 

[•*  corporis  ct  anima?,  Lat.  omitted :  of  the  body  and  soul.] 


v.]  THE     CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    CiOD.  141 

that  happcneth  unto  mankind,  although  in  another  sense  it  is 
put  for  the  contrary  to  war  or  battle :  and  the  peace  of  the  con- 
science is  no  small  felicity  to  mortal  men^.  These  Avero  the 
good  things  that  the  priests  did  wish  to  light  upon  the  people, 
teaching  them  withal  to  beseech  the  Lord  for  those  blessings 
with  ardent  prayers  and  earnest  supplications.  Even  till  this 
day  there  do  remain  the  psalms  that  the  priests  did  make  for 
the  people's  sake  to  sing.  For  after  that  David  had  brought 
music  into  the  temple,  then  did  the  playing  upon  musical  in- 
struments, with  sweet  melody  and  singing  of  psalms,  begin  to  be 
taken  for  an  office  amongst  the  priests.  Touching  this  music 
used  in  the  temple  the  first  book  of  Chronicles  speaketh  very 
much,  where  it  treateth  of  David  and  his  dealings,  how  he  distri- 
buted the  singers  into  twenty-four  orders,  and  that  by  course. 

Moreover,  the  priests  were  commanded 'Uo  minister  the  sa- sacrifices  and 

,  .  !•/.  -     ministering 

craments,  and  to  sacrifice.  For  they  did  circumcise  the  infants' :  of  thesacra- 

<J  •  '  inents  was 

their  office  was  to  see  the  passover  eaten,  and  to  offer  sacrifices  t°'J],'^^"Se"Ls 
of  sundry  sorts  unto  the  Lord :  of  which  I  will  speak  here- 
after in  place  convenient.  And  that  they  might  more  commo- 
diously  offer  their  sacrifices,  David,  by  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  divided  the  two  families  of  Elcazar  and  Ithamar 
into  twenty-four  orders  :  for  they  did  minister  by  course,  as 
is  to  be  seen  in  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  the  first  of  Chro- 
nicles. All  the  while  that  their  turn  to  minister  did  last  the 
priests  remained  still  within,  and  never  did  set  a  foot  out  of 
the  temple.  For  there  were  houses  builded  within  the  temple 
for  the  priests  to  dwell  in,  when  their  lot  did  come  to  serve 
the  Lord;  they  never  went  unto  their  own  houses  until  their 
course  were  expired,  and  their  time  to  minister  were  fully 
finished.  The  priests  also  did  keep  the  holy  vessels  and 
make  them  clean;  they  kept  the  candles  burning,  and  tlic 
holy  fire,  that  it  should  not  go  out:  to  be  short,  they  had  the 
charge  of  all  things  which  seemed  to  belong  to  the  service  of 
God,  as  oil,  frankincense,  and  such  like  things. 

Now  before  the  temple  was  erected,  and  that  the  Israelites  xhe  priests 
had  obtained  a  place  where  to  settle  themselves  in  the  land  oftab^macic 
promise,  the  priests'  office  was  to  see  the  tabernacle  pitched  of'ihe  tSra. 

[5  jugo  convivium,  Lat. :  a  continual  feast.     Prov.  xv.  15.] 
[G  rem  facero  divinam,  adniinistrarc  inquam,  Lat. :  to  perform  the 
service  of  God,  I  mean  &c.] 

[T  The  Mosaic  Law  did  not  require  the  priests  to  be  the  operators.] 


142  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM* 

down,  and  taken  up  again,  and  carried  to  and  fro.  For  in  the  third 
of  Numbers  thus  we  read :  "  The  Levites  shall  keep  all  the  in- 
struments of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  and  have  the 
charge  of  the  children  of  Israel,  to  do  the  service  of  the  taber- 
nacle." For  the  tabernacle  was  so  appointed,  that  when  they 
journeyed  it  might  be  taken  into  many  pieces ^  Therefore, 
when  the  Israelites  were  ready  to  remove  their  camp,  Aaron 
and  his  sons  came  with  the  coverings  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
to  wrap  up  and  carry  the  holy  vessels  in.  The  Cahatites  bare 
the  ark,  the  table,  the  altar  2,  and  instruments  belonging  there- 
unto. The  Gersonites  had  charge  over  the  cords,  the  cover- 
ings, the  hangings,  the  curtains,  the  veils,  and  ropes,  belonging 
to  the  tabernacle.  The  Merarites  did  bear  the  harder  stuff 
that  was  made  of  wood  and  brass,  as  the  pillars,  bars,  stakes, 
and  planks.  All  which  whosoever  desireth  to  understand 
more  nearly,  let  him  read  the  third  and  fourth  chapters  of 
the  book  of  Numbers.  When  the  temple  was  builded,  there 
[ich'-on-  were  porters  and  warders  of  the  temple  appointed  among 
Tr°ump«m''  *^^  Lsvitos.  The  trumpets  also,  wherewith  the  congregation 
was  called  together,  were  in  the  Levites'  hands^;  as  we  read 
were^appofnt-  in  the  touth  of  Numbors.  The  priests  also  were  appointed  to 
war.°  ^""^ '"  be  ready  and  serve  in  the  wars,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  twentieth 
of  Deuteronomy.  For  the  Lord  would  not  have  the  laws  to 
be  hushed  where  armour  did  clatter;  for  victories  do  avail 
greatly  to  godliness  and  the  study  of  religion. 
The  priests  Bosido  this  also  the  priests  had  yet  another  office :  that 

did  judge  be-  .  .  -i  »'  ' 

and'Muse'^  was,  to  judgo  botwixt  causo  and  cause,  between  clean  and  un- 
clean :  both  which  are  more  largely  declared  in  the  seven- 
teenth of  Deuteronomy,  and  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth 
chapters  of  Leviticus.  For  as  often  as  any  difficult  matter 
happened  to  rise  among  them,  the  hearing  of  it  was  brought  to 
the  mother  city  Hicrusalem^  :  and  if  any  man  were  suspected 
to  be  a  leper,  the  Levitical  priests  did  judge  of  his  disease 
according  to  the  laws  that  were  prescribed  them.  So  hitherto 
I  have  summarily  laid  down  the  offices  of  priesthood  among 
the  old  people,  reckoning  up  only  the  especial  parts  belonging 
to  their  service. 

[1  So  ed.  1577:  places,  od.  1587;  partes,  Lat] 
[^  aras,  Lat.  altars.] 

[3  sacerdotum,  Lat. :  in  the  priests'  hands.] 
[*  Hierusaleni  is  not  in  the  Latin.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF     GOD.  143 

Now  as  those  priests  did  serve  the  Israehtish  church,  so  Thesupen.is 
did  they  Hve  of  the  revenues  of  the  church.      For  the  Lord  i'hccs^a^iga''-" 
appointed  them   certain   stipends  and  dwelhng-places  in  the  pnesu. 
land  of  promise.      For  he  assigned  forty-eight  cities  for  them 
to  inhabit  in  the  land  of  Israel,  six  whereof  were  cities  of 
refuge  for  men  to  fly  unto,  as  unto  sanctuaries.     ^Moreover 
he  commanded  to  lay  out  and  appoint,   for  the  sustenance 
of  the  priests'  cattle  and  families,  the  suburbs  and  ferms  with- 
out the  walls  of  the  cities,  within  a  thousand  cubits'"  compass  a  thousand 

.   .  ,         ,  .         ,       cubits  geome- 

on  every  side.    In  those  cities  were  schools,  so  conveniently  "-ica'  "'ake 

'J  '>    one  mile, 

placed  throughout  all  the  land,  that  all  men  might  easily  go  J.Siie'an.i 
with  very  small  pain  from  the  places  thereabout  unto  the  reckonfnj; 
synagogues,  to  hear  the  word  of  God.     In  those  cities  there  eve'ry^pace. 
was  no  sacrifice  made  :  for  they  were  commanded  to  sacrifice  t-ST^VilT 
in  one  place  alone ;  and  thrice  a  year  they  went  up  to  the  Issefifble^ '° 
temple  to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  :  but  every  sabbath-day  the  tog«her  fn 

,         ^  -        .  ,  ,  to  hear  the 

law  was  tauffht  in  every  town  where  the  synagoo;ues  were,  word  or  uw 

O  «'       ,  ,  .  "^         °    °  of  the  Lord. 

Moreover  the  rents  belonging  to  the  priests  were  great  and  [f'eut.  xvi. 
ample ;  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  eighteenth  of  the  book  of 
Numbers,  and  in  the  last  of  Leviticus.  The  wealth  of  the 
priests  was  enough  and  suflftcient  to  maintain  their  families, 
and  to  live  themselves  honestly.  And  they  with  that  stipend 
did  not  give  themselves  to  riot  and  idleness;  but,  living 
moderately,  did  apply  themselves  to  learning,  and  teaching  of 
the  people.  Thus  much  hitherto  touching  the  persons  be- 
longing to  the  ministry  of  holy  religion. 

And  for  because  by  law  they  could  not  sacrifice  but  in  one  The  hoiy 
place  alone,  there  was  a  certain  place  appointed  to  the  people, 
wherein,  as  in  an  holy  shop,  the  priests  should  exercise  their 
holy  ministry  in  sacrificing  to  the  Lord ;  and  therefore  now 
the  very  order  and  course  of  this  argument  doth  require,  that 
I  say  somewhat  touching  that  holy  place.  That  place  in  the 
beginning  was  the  tabernacle  built  by  Moses,  and  afterward 
the  temple  which  Salomon  did  make.  The  law,  which  forbad 
them  to  sacrifice  any  where  but  in  that  one  place  alone,  un- 
less it  were  by  dispensation,  is  extant  in  the  twelfth  of  Deuter- 
onomy, and  in  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  Leviticus ;  and  doth 
contain  the  mystery  of  Christ,  who  was  off'ered  up  but  once, 
and  in  one  place,  to  cleanse  the  sins  of  the  world.  Of  whom  I 
will  speak  somewhat  more  hereafter. 

Now  that  tabernacle,  or  tent,  (being  called  the  tabernacle 


144  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

of  appointments  because  the  Lord  appointed  it  both  to  give 
answers  in,  and  to  have  his  lawful  worship  duly  accomplished 
in)  was  to  the  people  instead  of  a  temple,  so  long  as  they 
wandered  and  dwelt  in  the  wilderness.  For  insomuch  as  thoy 
strayed  forty  years  in  the  desert,  it  was  not  convenient  for 
them  to  have  a  settled  temple,  but  such  an  one  as  in  their 
journeys  they  might  carry  to  and  fro,  so  oft  as  they  removed. 
That  tabernacle  was  erected  in  this  order,  and  was  in  a  man- 

onhftabe".  ^'^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^"^  ^^^  fashion.      First  of  all  there  were  stuck 

n^'^'^-  into  the  earth,  close  by  the  ground,  silver  sockets  to  fasten  in 

and  set  boards  upon,  to  make  a  wall  withal :  under  every 
plank,  or  board,  were  two  sockets.  For  every  board  had  two 
tenons,  like  pikes,  whereby  they  were  stuck  into  the  sockets. 
The  boards  on  either  side  of  the  tabernacle,  north  and 
south,  were  twenty  in  number :  at  the  upper  end,  which  was 
toward  the  west,  were  ten  boards,  or  planks,  all  laid  over 
with  gold,  and  ten  cubits  high  apiece.  These,  when  they 
were  set  up,  were  stuck  or  fastened  into  the  sockets :  upon 
the  back  sides  those  boards  had  golden  rings,  through  which 
were  bars  of  sittim  wood  (which  is  thought  to  be  white- 
thorn) thrust ;  partly,  to  join  the  boards  close  together,  that 
they  might  be  like  a  wall  without  chink  or  crevice ;  and 
partly,  to  make  them  stand  stedfast  without  wagging  to  and 

[Exod.  xxvi.  fro.  The  sanctum  on  the  east  side  was  shut  up  with  a  veil. 
Moreover,  there  were  made  ten  curtains,  or  hangings,  of 
broidered  work 2,  which  were  coupled  together  with  loops  or 
taches.  These  curtains  were  laid  upon  the  tops  of  the  boards 
that  were  set  upright,  as  it  had  been  the  rafter  or  roof  of  an 
house :  over  which  curtains  were  three  coverings  more,  the 
uppermost  whereof  was  of  taxus  leather ^  well  able  in  rain  to 
keep  water  out. 

Exod.  xxvi.         Now  the  tabernacle  was  in  length  thirty  cubits,  and  in 
breadth  ten  cubits ;  as  may  be  gathered  by  the  measure  of 
the  boards.      It  was  divided  also  into  three  parts :   the  first 
was  called  sanctum  sanctorum,  holy  of  holies,  and  aihjtum  a'dis 
(the  house*  into  which  no  man  came  but  the  high  priest  alone), 
U-   1)!)D  Sin.     The  tabernacle  of  the  congregation.  Auth.  vcr.] 
[^  oporc  Phrygio,  Lat.   Pictas  vcstcs. .  .acu  faccro  Phrygcs  invenc- 
runt,  idcoque  Phrygioniaj  appelhita)  sunt. — Plin.  Hist.  Nat.  viii.  74.] 
[3    □''CirnjTl,  badgers'  skins.  Auth.  vcr.] 
[•*  the  house — alone,  not  in  the  Lat.] 


[Exod.  XX 
15-29.] 


31—33.] 


-14.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  145 

or  the  chancel  of  the  temple^  the  second  was  the  sane- 
turn,  whose  length  was  twenty  cubits,  as  the  length  of  the 
first  was  ten  :  the  third  part  was  called  atrium,  the  court, 
which  had  in  length  an  hundred  cubits,  and  in  breadth  fifty. 
This  atrium  was  compassed  about  with  fifty-three  pillars,  that 
were  fastened  down  into  brasen  sockets,  and  were  in  height 
five  cubits ;  upon  which  there  hung  hangings  of  network, 
through  which  a  man  might  easily  see :  at  the  very  entry 
was  hanged  a  veil  twenty  cubits  long  upon  four  pillars.  The 
sanctum  sanctorum  was  divided  from  the  sanctum  by  the 
most  precious  veil,  hanged  upon  four  pillars  of  silver :  and  the 
sanctum  was  severed  from  the  atrium  with  the  second  veil, 
that  was  very  precious,  and  hung  upon  five  pillars  laid  over 
with  gold.  In  the  midst  of  the  atrium  did  stand  the  inner 
house,  I  mean,  the  tabernacle,  that  is  divided  (as  I  said  even 
now)  into  the  sanctum  and  the  sanctum  sanctorum. 

Into  the  sanctum  sanctorum  no  man  did  enter  but  the 
high  priest  only  once  in  a  year.     Therein  was  laid  the  ark  of  what  thin? 


ings 


some  (upon  the  apostle's  words)  do  add  the  golden  censer.  lhW  ix.  4.] 
But  other  there  be  which  think  that  by  Ovixiartjpioi'  is 
meant  the  incense  altar,  and  not  the  censer.  It  should  seem 
thereby  (if  these  fellows  be  not  deceived),  that  at  the  time 
when  the  apostle  writ,  the  golden  altar  did  stand  within  the 
veil  in  the  sanctum  sanctorum.  But  it  is  manifest  by  the 
fortieth  chapter  of  Exodus,  (as  I  mean  to  shew  you  anon,) 
that  the  golden  altar  from  the  beginning  was  placed  in 
the  sanctum  before  the  veil.  And  thereunto  agreeth 
that  which  may  be  gathered  out  of  the  first  chapter  after  [Exod.  xi. 
St  Luke.  But  howsoever  it  was,  this  is  sure,  that  the  ark  of  i%^' 
the  covenant  was  not  seen  of  any  mortal  man,  but  of  the 
high  priest  alone,  when  he  ofl'ered  incense  in  the  sanctum 
sanctorum,  once  in  a  year.  For  it  was  hid  with  the  first 
veil,  the  staves  wherewith  it  was  borne  appearing  a  little  within 
the  Sanctum,  by  the  bearing  up  of  the  veil  which  was  some- 
what thrust  out  with  the  ends  of  the  staves;  so  that  he  which 
stood  any  thing  nigh  in  the  sanctum  might  easily  discern  it, 
but  of  him  that  stood  farther  off  it  could  hardly  be  perceived. 
For  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  third  book  of  Kings  thou  C"  ^'ngs  v.ii 
readest :  "  And  they  drew  out  the  staves,  that  the  ends  of 
[5  oraculum  templi,  Lat.] 

[bullixger,  ilJ 


146  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

them  might  appear  out  of  the  sanctum  sanctorum  into  the 

sanctum,  but  they  were  not  seen  without."     The  sanctum  was 

open  daily  for  the  priests,  that  did  by  course  supply  the  place 

The  Latin     of  ministry  before  the  Lord.     In  the  sanctum,  before  the  veil, 

doti^^uMe    was  placed  the  golden  table  furnished  with  shew-bread,  upon 

words  of  the  tho  uorth  side^ :  right  over  against  it,  upon  the  south  side-,  was 

twenty-sixth  O  o  '     1        _  ' 

whfre  weend  ^^^  ^^^  goldeu  caudlestick.    Xow  in  the  midst,  betwLxt^  those 

(as  I  have 
turned  it) 
that  the  table 
stood  on  th( 

whereas  the   of  swoct  perfumes.  And  in  the  atrium,  not  very  far  from  the 
saith,  on  the  sccoud  Veil  of  the  scinctum,  did  appear  the  altar  of  burnt-ofler- 

south  side,        .  . 

and  caiieth  it  ings !  aud  bctwixt  the  altar  and  the  veil  was  put  the  laver, 

pars  austra-  .  .  . 

'♦*•  out  of  which  the  priests  did  wash  themselves,   when  they 

began  to  go  about  their  ministry.  All  the  people,  which 
came  to  the  sacrifice,  might  easily  on  every  side  see  to  the 
altar.  And  of  this  sort  was  the  holy  tabernacle,  which  was  to 
the  Israelites  instead  of  a  temple :  touching  which  he  shall 
read  more  largely  and  fully,  whosoever  will  look  in  the 
twenty-sixth,  twenty-seventh,  thirty-sixth,  thirty-eighth,  and 
fortieth  chapters  of  Exodus. 
The  meaning  Now  SO  much  as  I  have  hitherto  spoken  touching  the 
nacie.  '  buildiug  of  the  tabernacle  hath  a  very  good  end  to  be  applied 
unto,  and  containeth  and  comprehendeth  no  obscure  signi- 
fication. For  first  of  all,  it  was  profitable  to  nourish  and 
maintain  the  unity  of  the  catholic  faith.  For  with  that  one 
tabernacle,  as  with  a  sure  bond,  they"^  were  tied,  first  to  God 
and  his  religion,  and  then  among  themselves  one  to  another, 
as  it  were,  sundry  members  compact  and  knit  into  one  body. 
For  to  that  tabernacle  the  whole  people  was  gathered,  as  to 
one  parish-church,  to  worship  and  pray  unto  one  God  and 
Lord.  And  for  because  the  children  of  Israel  did  dwell  in 
tabernacles,  it  pleased  the  Lord  also  to  have  a  tabernacle 
builded  for  himself,  and  placed  in  the  midst  of  them,  that 
thereby  he  might  testify  that  he  himself  doth  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  his  people.  The  tabernacle  therefore  being  as  it 
were  the  palace  of  God,  the  most  high  and  mighty  king,  did 
stand  in  the  midst  of  the  people,  as  a  testimony  of  his  divine 
presence,  to  strike  the  fear  and  reverence  of  God  into  the 

[^  in  parte  australi,  Lat.]  [2  in  latere  meridionali,  Lat.] 

[3  Joseph.  Antiq.  Lib.  iii.  cap.  vi.  §  8. J 
[4  Israelitse,  Lat. ;  the  Israelites] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    r;OD.  147 

hearts  of  all  his  subjects.  We  men  lay  up  in  our  tabernacles, 
or  houses,  the  thin2;s  that  we  have ;  and  will  be  sought  lor 
and  asked  after  at  our  houses.  And  therefore  the  Lord  did 
place  in  the  tabernacle  the  holy  things,  as  it  were  his  trea- 
sure ;  and  would  be  inquired  after  in  the  tabernacle,  promising 
that  there  he  would  hear  the  prayers  and  requests  of  all  the 
faithful  that  called  upon  his  name. 

Moreover  in  those  ceremonies  are  contained  the  secret 
mysteries  of  Christ  and  his  church.  For  Paul  calleth  us  the 
temple  of  God,  and  our  bodies  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord : 
for  in  us  the  Lord  doth^  dwell.  The  boards  of  the  tabernacle 
are,  as  it  were,  the  rafters,  beams,  and  pillars  of  the  church. 
And  the  church  hath  her  pillars,  which  are  doctors  and  other 
excellent  men  inspired  with  the  Holy  Ghost^:  and  every  several 
faithful  man  is  a  board  laid  over  with  gold,  if  he  keep  sin- 
cerity, and  remain  in  the  unity  of  the  faith.  The  boards  of 
the  tabernacle  were  joined  together  with  bars  :  and  so  must 
sound  doctrine  keep  all  the  faithful  (which  are  the  boards  of 
the  mystical  tabernacle)  in  their  duty  and  quiet  concord, 
without  crack  or  crevice.  The  curtains,  though  they  were 
many,  yet  were  they  knit  together  with  golden  loops,  as  if 
they  had  been  but  all  one  piece :  and  therefore  the  sundry 
members  of  the  church  must  be  gathered  together,  and  by 
charity  be  knit  together  in  one,  that  they  may  be  one  among 
themselves,  and,  as  it  were,  a  roof  of  righteousness  in  the 
church  of  God.  The  coverings  of  the  church,  to  keep  out 
storms,  are  faith,  repentance,  and^  desire  to  do  good.  Christ  ^}  ^or.  "L 
himself  is  the  socket  thereof ;  "  for  none  other  foundation 
can  be  laid  than  that  is  already  laid,  even  Christ  Jesus." 
Moreover,  the  veil  that  was  spread  before  the  sanctum  sane-  ueb.  ix. 
torum  doth  signify,  as  the  apostle  ^  saith,  that  the  way  of  the 
saints,  which  they  had  to  go  in,  was  not  as  then  made  mani- 
fest, so  long  as  the  first  tabernacle  did  stand.  Therefore, 
when  Christ  was  come,  and  with  his  death  had  finished  all, 
then  the  veil  that  hung  in  the  temple  was  rent  from  the  top 
to  the  very  ground :  whereby  all  men  might  understand,  that 

p  vult,  Lat. ;  will,  cd.  1577.] 

[*5  horoico  vel  principal!  spiritu  pra?ditos,  Lat. ;  referring  to  Psalm 
li.  14,  which  tho  Vulgate  renders,  spiritu  principali  confirma  me.] 
[7  vel,  Lat. ;  or.] 
[8  did  signify,  as  the  holy  apostle,  ed.  1677.] 

10—2 


148  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

the  way  was  opened  into  the  sanctum  sanctorum,  that  is,  into 
the  very  heavens ;  and  that  satisfaction  was  made  for  all  men 
in  respect  of  the  law^  In  the  tabernacle  also  did  hang  other 
veils,  which  were  as  shadows  of  the  flesh  ^  of  Christ.  Those 
veils  did  hang  at  the  very  entry  into  the  sanctum  and  the 
atrium.  Now  Christ,  our  Lord,  is  the  way  and  the  door,  by 
whose  incarnation  and  death  we  have  an  entry  made  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Yea,  Christ  himself  is  our  tabernacle,  in 
whom  we  dwell  and  live,  and  in  whom  we  worship  and  please 
our  God :  he  is  the  curtain  and  ceiling,  the  rafter  and  orna- 
ment of  his  church :  he  is  the  trusty  and  most  assured  cover- 
ing, that  doth  defend  us  from  the  injuries  of  man  and  the 
devil :  he  is  the  bar  of  the  church,  which  joineth  the  members 
thereof  together,  and  keepeth  them  in  the  unity  of  faith^ :  he 
is  the  pillar  and  socket  of  his  church ;  he  is  the  head*,  and 
only  all-in-all  both  of  our  life  and  true  salvation.  In  those 
figures,  therefore,  they  of  old  had  the  chief  mysteries  hidden 
of  Christ  and  the  church ;  in  which  Christ  is  now  no  other- 
wise to  be  beheld,  than  he  was  in  the  beginning  of  the  world 
beheld  of  the  ancient  patriarchs,  to  wit,  very  God  and  very 
man,  the  only  and  highest  king  and  priest,  the  true  Saviour 
of  the  world,  in  whom  and  by  whom  alone  the  faithful  have 
their  whole  salvation. 
The  history  To  procccd  now  :  this  tabernacle,  by  the  Lord's  appolnt- 

God.^"  °  ment,  was  erected  in  Silo,  as  soon  as  they  came  into  the  land 
of  promise,  and  did  continue  there  until  the  time  of  Hcli ;  as  is 
evident  in  the  eighteenth  of  Josue,  and  first  of  Samuel,  first 
and  third  chapters.  Under  Ileli  the  ark  was  taken  by  the 
Philistines,  and  carried  into  Palestine^ ;  from  whence  it  was 
restored  again,  and  placed  in  Bethsemes ;  from  thence  again 
[1  Sam.  vii.  it  was  Carried  to  Kirjath-jearim,  into  the  house  of  Abinadab  in 
^'"'  Glbea,  that  is,  on  the  hill ;  for  his  house  was  set  upon  a  high 

place.     For  in  the  sixth  of  the  second  book  of  Samuel  we 
read :  "  David  went  with  all  the  people  to  Baala  Juda  (which 
Josh.  XV.       in  the  fifteenth  of  Josue  is  called  Kirjath-jearim),  to  fetch  from 

\}  ct  omnibus  in  lege  satisfactum,  Lat.] 
[2  purissima)  carnis,  Lat. ;  of  the  most  holy  flesh.] 
[3  ac  omnis  boni,  Lat. ;  omitted :  and  of  every  good  thing.] 
[4  et  virtus,  Lat. ;  omitted  :  and  strength.] 

[5  in  urbes  Pala^stinorum,  Lat.;  among  the  cities  of  the  Philistines. 
1  Sam.  v.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    I^WS    OF    GOD.  149 

thence  the  ark  of  God."  And  presently  after ;  "  And  tliey 
fetched  it  out  of  the  house  of  Abinadab  that  -was  in  Gibea," 
that  is,  on  the  hill  For  there  was  an  higli  place  in  Kirjath- 
jearim,  Avherein  Abinadab  dwelt.  Some  other,  which  take 
Gabaa  for  the  proper  name  of  the  town^,  do  say,  that  the 
ark  was  translated  from  Palestine  into  Gabaa.  But  this  is 
sure,  the  ark  Avas  conveyed  from  the  house  of  Abinadab  into 
the  house  of  Obed-edom,  and  from  thence  into  the  city  of 
David,  that  is,  into  Sion.  For  so  is  the  city  [of]  David  ex- [2 sam.  vi. 
pounded  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  third  book  of  Kings.       I'Kings  vui. 

In  Sion  did  David  pitch  a  new  tabernacle  for  the  ark  of 
God,  wherein  he  did  place  it,  and  appointed  priests  to  minister 
there  before  the  Lord :  as  it  is  at  large  described  in  the  six- 
teenth chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Chronicles.  And  yet,  by  The  history 
building  that  new  tabernacle,  David  neglected  not  the  old  Cfi^'^'iiac'ie!' ' 
tabernacle  of  appointment.  For  after  the  time  of  Ileli,  and 
the  taking  of  the  ark  by  the  Philistines,  it  seemeth  that  it  was 
translated  diversely  from  place  to  place.  Silo  verily,  wherein 
it  was  first  placed,  was  desolate,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  seventy- 
eighth  Psalm  and  the  seventh  chapter  of  Jeremy.  Therefore, 
when  Saul  did  reign,  it  appeareth  to  have  been  pitched  in 
Gilgal,  where  he  offered  peace-offerings  in  sign  of  thanks- 
giving unto  the  Lord  for  victory  against  the  Ammonites,  as 
is  to  be  seen  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  first  book  of 
Samuel.  In  the  twenty-first  chapter  of  the  same  book  it  is 
apparent,  that  the  tabernacle  was  for  a  time  in  ISTob  (a  town 
not  very  far  from  Ilierusalem,  Isaiah  x.),  where  Ahimelech,  isai.  x. 
the  priest,  gave  to  David  the  fresh  shew-bread  that  was  taken 
from  the  golden  table.  In  the  time  when  David  reigned  it 
was  erected  in  Gabaon,  a  city  of  the  Benjamites  :  for  in  the 
twenty-first  of  the  first  of  Chronicles  thus  we  read :  "  The 
tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  which  Moses  made  in  the  wilderness, 
and  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings,  was  at  that  time  (when  the 
angel  appeared  to  David  with  a  sword  ready  drawn)  in  the  hill 
of  Gabaon^."  In  that  place  was  it  also  in  the  reign  of  Salomon, 
and  to  that  hill  did  Salomon  go  to  pray  to  the  Lord  before 
the  temple  was  buildcd.    For  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  second 

[<5  Accordingly,  the  one  and  self-same  Hebrew  word  is  rendered  in 
our  authorised  version,  in  1  Sam.  vii.  1,  In  the  hill,  and  in  2  Sam.  vi.  3, 
in  Gibeah.] 

[7  vol  cxcclso,  Lat. ;  or  high  place.] 


150  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

book  of  Chronicles  we  find  :  "  And  Salomon,  with  all  the  con- 
gregation, went  to  the  high  place  that  was  at  Gabaon ;  for 
there  was  the  tabernacle  of  God's  appointment,  which  Moses 
the  servant  of  the  Lord  made  in  the  wilderness.  But  the  ark 
of  God  had  David  brought  from  Kirjath-jearim  into  the  place 
which  David  had  prepared  for  it :  for  he  had  pitched  a  tent 
for  it  at  Hierusalem.  Moreover  the  brasen  altar,  that  Beza- 
leel  the  son  of  Uri  had  made,  was  there  before  the  tabernacle 
of  the  Lord  :  and  Salomon  and  the  congregation  went  to  visit 
it."     Therefore,  whereas  we  read  in  the  third  chapter  of  the 

[1  Kings iii.  third  book  of  Kings,  "Salomon  loved  the  Lord,  and  walked 
in  the  ways  of  his  father  David ;  only  he  sacrificed  and  burnt 
incense  in  the  high  places :"  that  is  not  spoken  in  the  dis- 
praise, but  in  the  praise,  of  Salomon,  as  he  that  did  not  at 
adventures  sacrifice  in  every  place,  but  in  the  high  places,  to 
wit,  upon  that  consecrated  altar  which  was  appointed  of  the 
Lord,  whereof  I  spake  even  now  before.  Other  there  are 
which  think  that  Salomon  was  not  simply  blamed  in  these 
words  for  offering  upon  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings  (for  that 
was  altogether  lawful),  but  because  he  had  till  then  deferred 
the  building  of  the  temple.  But  that  which  goeth  before  and 
folio weth  after  do  make  greatly  that  those  words  were  spoken 
in  that  sense  and  sio;nification  which  I  did  first  allege.  The 
same  Salomon,  when  the  temple  was  builded,  did  command 
and  see  that  the  old  ark,  with  all  the  instruments  belonging 
thereunto,  should  be  brought  by  the  priests  as  a  precious 
treasure  from  Gabaon,  and  placed  in  the  temple  which  he  had 
caused  to  be  built  for  that  purpose :  the  holy  scripture  bear- 
ing witness  thereunto  and  saying ;  "  And  they  brought  the 
ark  of  the  Lord,  and  the  tabernacle  of  appointment,  and  all 
the  holy  vessels  that  were  in  the  tabernacle :  the  priests  and 
Levites,   I  say,  brought  them  into  the  temple" — the  third 

[1  Kings  viii.  of  Kings,  eighth  chapter,  and  the  second  of  Chronicles,  fifth 

5]  "  chapter.     And  so  was  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  which  stood 

four  hundred  and  seventy  eight  ^  years,  abrogated  at  the  last, 
and  instead  thereof  the  temple  was  erected. 

Of  Solomons  Toucliing  thc  temple  of  the  Lord,  which  was  prepared  by 
David,  but  builded  and  made  an  end  of  by  Salomon,  I  need 
not  make  many  words  in  the  description  thereof,  because  it  is 

[I  Kings  vi.    in  the  third  of  Kings  and  second  of  the  Chronicles  very  busily 

A:  2  Chron. 

iii.  and  IV.]         [1  According  to  Usher,  4SG  years,  viz.  from  A.  c.  1490  to  a.  c.  1004.  J 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  151 

set  down,  and  painted  out  at  the  full.  The  place,  where  the 
temple  was  afterward  huilded,  is  reported  to  have  been  shewed 
to  David  by  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ;  and  that  David  did  first 
of  all  make  sacrifice  there  unto  the  Lord ;  and  addeth  these 
words ;  "  This  is  the  liouse  of  the  Lord  God,  and  this  altar  is  ['  chron. 
for  the  sacrifice  of  Israel."  As  if  he  should  have  said  :  This 
plat  of  ground  is  appointed  for  the  temple  ;  in  this  piece  shall 
be  built  the  house  of  the  Lord  ;  yea,  here  shall  be  offered  that 
only  and  elFectuaP  sacrifice  for  all  men,  the  very  Son  of  God, 
Christ  Jesus  incarnate.  For  all  the  interpreters  of  the  holy 
scriptures  agree  that  the  place  was  at  Jerusalem,  upon  the 
mountain  Moria,  where  Abraham  once  would  have  offered  his 
son  Isaac ;  and  that  in  that  appointed  or  fatal  place  the  tem- 
ple was  erected ;  and  that  the  hill  Golgotha,  or  Calvary,  was 
not  far  off,  but  in  the  very  top  of  the  mountain  Moria,  which 
was  the  place  and  the  holy  hill,  wherein  the  holy  gospel  doth 
testify  that  Christ  was  offered  for  the  sins  of  all  the  world ; 
which  was  prefigured  in  a  type  of  the  ancient  sacrifices  and 
other  ceremonies  belonging  to  the  templet  The  use  and  end 
of  the  temple  was  none  other  than  the  use  and  end  of  the 
tabernacle  was  before. 

Jeroboam  therefore  and  the  kings  of  Israel  did  sin  most  The  sin  of 
grievously,  when  they  forsook  the  temple  to  make  sacrifices  sacpficeTn 
in  the  high  places,  in  their  cathedral  churches  at  Bethel  and  places'^ 
at  Dan,  and  in  other  high  and  pleasant  places.  The  people 
of  Juda  with  their  kings  did  sin  most  grievously,  either  for 
sacrificing  to  God  in  the  high  places,  or  else  because  they  did 
not  utterly  cut  down  those  high  places.  For  the  Lord  would, 
and  his  will  was  to  be  worshipped  in  one  place,  which  he  had 
chosen  unto  himself.  The  plain  law  touching  that  matter  is 
extant  in  the  twelfth  of  Deuteronomy,  and  is  very  expressly 
set  down  in  the  seventeenth  of  Leviticus,  in  these  words  fol- 
lowing :  "  Whosoever  of  the  house  of  Israel  shall  kill  an  ox, 
or  a  sheep,  or  a  goat,  within  the  host  or  without  the  host, 
(to  wit,  for  a  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord ;  for  otherwise  they  might 
lawfully  kill  a  beast  for  their  sustenance  in  any  place  where- 
soever,) and  shall  not  bring  it  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of 

[2  atcmum  efficax,  Lat.;  everlastingly  effectual.] 

[3  quern  sacrificia  et  templi  ot  vetcrum  omnia  pra?figurarunt,  Lat. : 

of  whom  all  the  sacrifices  both   of  the  temple  and  of  the  ancients 

wore  a  type,] 


152  THE    THIRD    DECADE,  [sERM. 

the  congregation,  to  offer  his  sacrifice  before  the  dwelling-place 
of  the  Lord ;  blood  shall  be  imputed  to  that  man,  as  if  he  had 
shed  blood.  Wherefore  when  the  children  of  Israel  bring 
their  offerings,  let  them  bring  them  to  the  Lord  before  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle  of  appointment,  unto  the  priest,  that 
he  may  offer  them.  And  let  them  no  more  offer  their  offer- 
ings to  devils',  after  whom  they  have  gone  a  whoring.  This 
shall  be  an  ordinance  to  them  for  ever  in  their  generations. 
And  he  that  doth  not  this  shall  be  rooted  out  from  among  his 
people."  There  are  in  these  words  three  things  to  be  noted: 
first,  that  it  was  not  lawful  to  sacrifice  but  in  that  one  place 
only,  that  was,  before  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings :  second- 
arily we  have  to  mark,  that  that  commandment  was  given, 
to  the  end  that  all  men  should  understand  that  the  sacrifice 
was  made  to  God,  to  whom  the  tabernacle  did  belong  : 
thirdly,  that  to  offer  sacrifice  out  of  the  place,  against  God's 
commandment,  was  to  make  sacrifice  unto  the  devil ;  that  the 
offerer  was  to  be  j  udged  as  a  murderer ;  and  that  he  was 
excommunicated  by  the  Lord  God,  as  he  that  was  excluded 
from  the  company  of  God  and  his  holy  saints 2.  But  whereas 
Samuel,  Helias,  and  certain  other  patriarchs,  did,  by  God's 
sufferance,  make  sacrifices  upon  some  especial  causes  in  other 
places,  and  not  before  the  altar  in  the  tabernacle,  they  did  it 
by  dispensation.  They  therefore  that  sacrifice  in  high  places, 
not  to  strange  gods  only,  but  even  to  the  very  true  God,  did 
sin  first  of  all  by  disobedience :  for  God  doth  mishke,  yea, 
he  curseth,  all  the  worship  done  unto  him,  which  we  ourselves 
do  first  invent  without  the  warrantise  of  his  word ;  it  is 
faithful  obedience  that  pleaseth  him  best.  Secondarily,  they 
sinned  by  making  a  schism  in  the  unity  of  the  ecclesiastical 
body.  Thirdly,  for  despising  the  mystery  of  Christ,  that 
was  to  be  offered  in  the  mount  of  Golgotha ;  and  for  not 
referring  the  meaning  of  their  sacrifices  to  Christ,  the  only 
truth  of  all  their  typical  ceremonies.  Lastly,  they  sinned 
by  trusting  in  their  sacrifices,  as  in  well-wrought  works,  to 
justification,  and  by  neglecting  the  worship  of  God,  and 
changing  it  into  trifles  of  their  own  inventions^. 

The  temple  stood,  from  the  time  that  Salomon  did  first 
build  it  until  the  first  destruction  of  it  under  king  Zcdekias, 

[1  satyris  vcl  da>monibus,  Lat.]  [2  Isai.  Ixvi.  Lat.] 

[3  cultum  pcculiarom  finxcruiit,  Lat.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  153 

four  hundred  and  forty  years'*.  And  from  the  reparation  of 
it  unto  the  utter  overthrow^  under  Vespasian,  it  stood  five 
hundred  and  eighty  two  years^  Other  there  be  that  do 
account  it  otherwise.  Thus  have  I  hitherto  spoken  a  Httlo 
of  a  great  deal  concerning  the  temple. 

Now  it  remaineth  for  me  to  touch  and  lightly  to  pass  The  siRnifi. 

°         "^  -l  cation  and 

over"  the  holy  instruments  belonging  to  the  tabernacle  and  [;;^"|f^'y "^ 
temple  of  the  Lord :  among  which  the  ark  of  the  covenant  lj}<i^t-  ^^xxi. 
was  the  chief;  which  ark  was  so  called,  because  of  the  tables 
of  the  covenant  that  were  put  within  it.  It  was  also  called 
the  ark  of  the  Lord  God  of  hosts,  which  dwelleth  upon  it 
betwixt  the  cherubim ;  and  by  that  means  the  Lord  himself 
was  called  by  the  name  "of  him  that  sitteth  betwixt  the 
cherubim,"  because  he  did  from  thence  give  answers  unto  his 
servants,  and  had  placed  it  in  the  midst  of  his  people  to  be  a 
sign  that  his  presence  was  always  among  them.  Touching 
the  stuff  whereof,  and  the  form  how,  the  ark  was  made,  I 
will  say  nothing  here.  For  the  matter  and  fashion  are  in 
their  colours  very  lively  painted  out  in  the  twenty-fifth  chap- 
ter of  Exodus.  Of  the  meaning,  mystery,  and  use  of  the 
ark,  I  will  speak  somewhat  now.  We  men  lay  up  in  our 
coffers  and  chests  the  treasures  that  we  most  set  by.  And 
therefore  we  understand,  that  in  the  ark  was  laid  the  treasure  ^,ra  is  an 
of  the  church,  and  all  the  substance  of  which  the  faithful  knd  what 
made  most  account.  u  e  must  not  therefore  seek  for  them  m  therein. 
men,  in  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  David,  St 
Mary,  John,  Peter,  or  Paul ;  much  less  in  the  llomish  indul- 
gentiary^;  but  in  him  in  whom  all  fulness  dwelleth,  and  in 
whom  all  the  treasures  of  God's  wisdom  and  knowledge  are 
heaped  up  in  store ;  who  is  not  seen  here  on  the  earth,  but 
in  the  sanctum  sanctorum,  in  heaven,  I  say,  above,  and  is 
called  Jesus  Christ ;  whose  divinity  is  figured  by  the  most 
pure  gold,  and  his  humanity  by  the  sittim-wood,  that  is,  of 

[<  According  to  Usher,  416  years;  viz.  from  A.c.  1004  to  a.c.  588.] 
[5  ad  secundum  cxcidium,  Lat.;  until  the  second  destruction.] 
[c  According  to  Usher,  585  years;  viz.  from  a.c.  515  to  A.  d.  70.] 
[~  per  transennain  inspicianius,  Lat. — proverbialis  locutio,  qua  sig- 

nificatur,  non  propius,  neque  sigillatiin,sed  procul,  obiter,  ct  summatim 

inspicere.    Facciolati  Tot.  Lat.  Lex.  in  voc.  Erasrai  Adag.  Chil.  p.  3G4. 

Ilanov.  1G17.] 

[8  in  cista  Chananaica  ac  Romanensi  indulgcntiaria,  Lat. ;  in  tho 

Canaanitish  and  Romish  indulgence-chest.] 


154  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

cedar,  or  rather  white-thorn :  for  he  took  upon  him  flesh 
like  to  our  sinful  flesh ;  even  the  very  flesh  that  we  have  in 
all  points,  saving  that  it  was  not  sinfuP.  Out  of  this  ark  do 
the  faithful  fetch  all  good  and  necessary  things  for  the  use 
of  their  life  and  eternal  salvation.  For  in  the  ark  we  read 
that  there  was  laid  the  tables  of  the  covenant,  the  pot  of 
manna,  and  Aaron's  rod  that  budded.  For  we  heard  that  in 
Christ  were  hidden  the  jewels  of  the  church.  Christ  is  our 
wisdom,  the  word^  of  the  Father,  the  fulfilling  of  the  law ;  he 
is  just  himself,  and  our  righteousness  also.  In  Christ  is  the 
heavenly  food  :  for  he  is  the  bread  of  life  that  came  down 
from  heaven,  to  the  end  that  every  one  that  eateth  of  it  may 

o.rist  his      live  eternally.     In  Christ  did  the  priesthood  bud  again :  it 

comp^Tcfto  seemed  verily,  at  the  death  of  Christ  upon  the  cross,  to  have 
been  cut  down  for  growing  any  more;  but  at  his  resurrection 
it  budded  again,  and  he  took  the  everlasting  priesthood,  that 
never  shall  be  ended :  for  even  noAv,  as  he  standeth  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father  in  heaven,  he  maketh  intercession 
to  him  for  us.  Moreover  the  ark  was  compassed  with  a 
crown,  because  Christ  our  Lord  is  a  king,  which  delivereth 
us  his  faithful  servants  from  all  evil,  and  maketh  us  the  sons 

The  mercy-  of  God.  Upon  the  ark  we  read  that  there  was  placed  the 
mercy-seat,  which  was  either  the  cover  of  the  ark,  or  else  a 

[Rom.  iii.  25.  seat  sct  upou  tlic  ark.      By  it  was  fio-ured,  as  the  apostles 

1  John  ii.  2.]  '^  ,  .      "^         .  . 

John  and  Paul  interpret  it,  Christ  our  Lord,  who  is  the  throne 
of  grace,  and  the  propitiation  for  our  sins ;  not  only  for  ours, 
but  also  for  the  sins  of  all  the  world.  Out  of  the  propitia- 
tory, or  mercy-seat,  also  were  uttered  the  oracles  and  answers 
[Exod  XXV.  of  God.  For  the  use  of  the  mercy-seat  is  read  in  the  holy 
scripture  to  have  been  this,  that  Moses,  entering  into  the 
tabernacle,  did  at  the  mercy-seat  receive  the  answers  and 
commandments  of  God,  which  he  declared  unto  the  people. 
And  Christ  is  he  by  whom  our  heavenly  Father  declareth 
his  will  to  us,  and  whom  alone  he  hath  given  us  to  hear, 
saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased  ; 
hear  him."  Two  cherubim  have  their  faces  turned  toward 
the   mercy-seat,  and  do  as   it  were  look    one   to  another : 

[1  nulla  in  eo  peccati  spina  cxistento,  Lat.  omitted :  there  being  in 
him  no  thorn  of  sin.  The  allusion  in  this  phrase  is,  of  course,  to  the 
white-thorn,  or  sittim-wood,  mentioned  above.] 

[2  lex  et  verbum,  Lat.;  the  law  and  word.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  155 

■whereupon  St  Peter  saith,  that  "  the  angels  do  desire  to  [i  rtt.  i.  12.] 
behold"  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  which  is  declared  in  the 
gospel.  The  same  angels  do  always  serve  our  Lord  and 
Master,  and  are  ready  at  his  beck,  as  to  him  that  is  Lord 
over  all.  Now  none  did  carry  the  ark  of  the  Lord  but 
the  priests  alone  3.  For  they  only  which  are  anointed  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  endued  with  true  faith,  do  receive 
Christ,  and  are  made  partakers  of  his  heavenly  gifts.  Neither 
must  we  wink  at  and  let  pass  the  note  that  is  given  in  the 
fourth  and  fifth  chapters  of  the  first  book  of  Samuel,  where 
it  is  said,  that  the  Israehtes,  for  abusing  the  ark  and  turning  The  use  and 
it  to  another  use  than  that  for  which  it  was  given,  and  for  ark.'" 
attributing  unto  it  more  than  the  scripture  willed,  were  slain 
by  the  riiilistines,  and  that  the  ark  was  carried  into  captivity ; 
to  the  end  that  all  men  might  learn  thereby  not  to  attribute 
more  to  the  sacraments  and  mysteries  of  God  than  is  con- 
venient, and  not  to  apply  them  to  any  other  use  than  that 
for  which  the  Lord  hath  ordained  them.  For  the  ark  was 
not  ordained  to  the  end  it  should  be  taken  for  God,  although 
it  bare  the  name  of  God^ ;  neither  was  it  made  to  the  end 
that  they  should  look  for  grace  and  help  to  proceed  from  it, 
as  we  read  that  they  did :  but  it  was  given  them  as  a  token, 
that  God,  their  confederate^,  was  in  the  midst  of  his  people, 
so  long  as  they  did  keep  the  tables  of  the  covenant  that  were 
closed  within  the  ark,  and  did  cleave  to  God  alone,  at  whose 
hands  they  should  look  for  all  good  things  through  Christ, 
his  Son,  which  was  prefigured  by  the  ark. 

Next  to  the  achjtum,  or  sanctum  sanctorum,  in  the  sane-  xhegoiden 
turn,  did  stand  the  golden  table,  the  matter  and  fashion  whereof 
is  declared  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Exodus.     Upon  the  Exod.  xxv. 
table  we  men  do  set  our  meat  and  sustenance ;  by  the  table 
we  are  refreshed ;  and  at  the  table  we  forget  our  cares,  and 

[3  sacerdotes  Domini,  Lat. ;  the  priests  of  the  Lord.] 
[<  . . .  discrtis  verbis  appellatur  (Area)  Dominus  exereituum.  Nam 
2  Samuelis,  0  cap.  scriptura  testatur,  ct  ait:  Et  surgons  David  abiit 
una  eum  toto  populo,  ut  transfcrrct  arcam  Dei,  super  quam  invocatum 
est  nomcn,  nomeii  Domini  exereituum  insidcntis  cherubim  super  cam. 
Hoc  cnim  Ilebraico  idiomate  tantundem  valet,  ac  si  tu  dicas:  cui 
nomcn  inditum  est  ut  appelletur,  Jehovah,  sivo  Deus  exereituum,  habi- 
tans  super  cherubim. — BuUiiig.  de  Episcop.  Instit.  et  funct.  cap.  G. 
fol.  88.  Tig.  1538.] 

[s  utpote  confcederatum,  Lat.] 


156  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

are  merry  and  jocund.  Therefore  the  table  can  be  none  other 
but  Christ  our  Lord,  and  christian  doctrine :  for  Christ  is 
the  sustenance  of  our  hfe ;  he  is  the  joy  and  mirth  of  the 
faithful.  The  table  was  of  gold  without,  and  all  wood  within, 
because  Christ,  our  tabled  is  both  God  and  man.  The  table 
(which  is  the  type  of  christian  doctrine  2)  is  set  forth  in  the 
church :  it  is  not  therefore  to  be  sought  at  Athens,  among  ^ 
the  sophisters,  nor  among  the  Gymnosophists  of  India",  nor 
in  the  Jewish  synagogues.  Upon  the  table  are  set  twelve 
new  loaves,  divided  into  two  parts.  For  the  bread  of  life, 
which  is  now  and  sweet ^,  doth  feed  and  fill  both  the  Jews 
[Lev.xxiv.    and  the  Gentiles.      Moreover,  that  bread  was  holy  and  not 

!).  Matt.  xii.  .  •      i  i  •  i  t 

^•^  profane,  and  none  might  eat  it  but  the  priests  alone.      In 

like  manner  the  faithful  only  are  worthy  of  Christ,  the  bread 

The  shew-  of  life,  aud  they  that  believe  receive  it  only.  The  loaves 
Avere  called  by  the  name  of  shew-bread,  or  the  bread  of  sight'' ; 
whereby  is  meant,  that  the  bread  of  life  (which  is  christian 
doctrine'^)  should  always  be  in  sight  before  our  eyes.  And 
as  those  loaves  were  to  be  set  always  before  the  Lord  in  the 
sight  of  all  men;  so  must  not  the  doctrine  of  Christ  be  privily 
hidden,  but  openly  shewed  unto  all  people.  A  vessel  with 
frankincense  was  set  upon  the  shew-bread,  because  they  that 
eat  the  heavenly  bread  do  offer  to  God  prayers  and  thanks- 
givings without  intermission,  which  is  to  God  as  sweet  as 
frankincense^.  In  the  twenty-fourth  of  Leviticus  it  is  at 
large  declared  in  what  sort  the  shew-bread  is  prepared. 

Thegowen  The  goldeu  candlestick  is  in  the  sanctum,  and  standeth 

before  the  veil  on  the  one  side,  or  over  against  the  table. 

Exod.  XXV.  We  have  the  description  of  it  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of 
Exodus.  Candles  are  set  up  in  our  common  houses  to  give 
light  to  all  them  that  are  in  the  house.  And  Christ  our 
Lord  is  come'-*  a  light  into  the  world,  that  whosoever  folio w- 

[1  cibiis  nostcr,  Lat. ;  our  food.] 
[2  which — doctrine,  not  in  tho  original.] 
[3  aut  apud,  Lat. ;  or  among.] 
[■1  Sec  Vol.  I.  p.  102.  note  3.] 
[5  ot  cxsaturans,  Lat.  omitted  ;  and  satisfying.] 
[c  panes  propositionis,  sivo  facierum,  Lat.    In  Ilcbr.  called  bread 
of  faces,  or  of  presence.     Ainsworth  on  Exod.  xxv.  30.] 
[7  which— doctrine,  not  in  the  original.] 
[8  which— frankincense,  not  in  the  original.] 
[9  datus  est,  Lat. ;  has  been  given.     John  viii.  12.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  157 

eth  him  should  get  the  light  of  life.  Out  of  Christ  do  pro- 
ceed, and  upon  Christ  do  stick,  other  noses  of  candlesticks'", 
which  have  their  light  from  Christ,  the  chief  candlestick. 
For  the  Lord  did  say  unto  the  apostles,  "  Ye  arc  the  light 
of  the  world."  So  then  Christ  is  the  shank,  or  shaft,  of  the 
candlestick,  upon  which  shank  many  snuffs  or  noses  do  stick, 
which  hold  the  light  up  to  the  church'':  for  what  light 
soever  is  in  the  ministers  of  the  church,  they  have  it  all  of 
Christ,  who  is  the  head  of  light,  and  very  light  itself.  The 
candlestick  is  wholly  all  of  gold.  And  Christ  is  very  God 
indeed,  the  light  and  wisdom  of  the  Father  :  and  the  minis- 
ters of  Christ  must  he  sincere  and  throughly  snuffed'^  from 
all  affections  of  the  flesh :  and  to  that  end  bclongcth  the  use 
of  the  snuffers  that  did  pertain  unto  the  candlestick. 

In  the  midst,  betwixt  the  table  and  the  candlestick,  before 
the  veil,  in  the  sanctum,  did  stand  the  golden  altar  of  incense,  The 


incense 
alur. 

XXX. 


which  is  exactly  painted  out  in  the  thirtieth  chapter  of  Exodus,  e^ou. 
That  altar  was  ordained  for  two  uses.  For  first,  there  was 
offered  upon  it  every  day  incense  or  perfume,  which  it  was 
not  lawful  to  offer  or  prepare  to  any  other  God  or  creature. 
That  was  done  twice  every  day,  at  morning  and  at  evening. 
Zacharias,  the  father  of  John  Baptist '^  was  in  that  ministcry, 
when  he  saw  the  angel,  and  for  his  unbelief's  sake  was  made  fi-^'^e  ••  »- 
dumb  for  a  season.  Secondarily,  incense  was  offered  upon 
that  altar  after  a  certain  solemn  manner  once  in  a  year,  that 
was,  at  the  feast  of  cleansing,  as  is  declared  in  the  sixteenth  Lev.  xvi. 
chapter  of  Leviticus. 

Now  by  incense,  or  perfume,  is  to  be  understood  the 
prayers  of  the  faithful ;  as  David  witnesseth  where  he  saith  : 
"  Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  in  thy  sight  as  the  incense ;  [Psai.  cxil 
and  let  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands  be  an  evening  sacrifice." 
Now  there  was  but  one  incense  altar  alone.  Whosoever 
builded  any  more,  he  was  condemned  of  blasphemous  Avicked- 
ness.  By  that  only  altar  is  figured  Christ  our  Lord,  both 
God  and  man,  the  mediator  and  intercessor  betwixt  God  and 
man ;  by  whom  all  the  saints  do  offer  all  their  prayers  to 

[10  cannse  ct  luminaria,  Lat,] 

[11  cannoc    in    suprcina   parte   habentcs    luinina,  Lat.  ;    rocd-liko 
branches  having  lights  at  their  extremities.] 
[12  repurgatos,  Lat.] 
[13  divi  Baptistsc,  Lat.] 


158  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

God,  their  Lord  and  heavenly  Father.  They  therefore  build 
many  altars,  which  choose  to  themselves  creatures  to  be  their 
intercessors,  by  whose  mediation  they  desire  to  obtain  that 
which  they  lack  at  the  hands  of  God.  In  the  end  of  the 
thirtieth  chapter  it  is  expressly  said  :  "  Whosoever  shall  make 
like  incense  to  that,  to  smell  thereto,  shall  perish  from  among 
his  people."  Therefore  through  Christ  alone  the  faithful 
church  of  Christ  doth  offer  her  prayers  to  God  the  Father. 
This  altar,  whereof  we  speak,  was  bound  about  with  a  crown 
of  gold :  for  Christ,  our  Lord  and  altar,  is  a  very  king  and 
priest,  and  weareth  the  crown  of  glory  ^  Now  we  must 
pray  at  morning  and  evening,  that  is,  continually  and  very 
earnestly  2.  And  we  must  always  pray  in  and  through  the 
name  of  Christ.  And  Christ  is  he  alone,  through  whom  God 
hath  been  pleased  with  the  prayers  of  them  that  have  prayed 
in  the  morning,  that  is,  at  the  beginning  of  the  world ;  and 
is  at  this  day  pleased  with  them  that  pray  to  him  at  evening, 
that  is,  in  the  end  and  these  last  days  of  the  world.  They 
therefore  sinned  most  grievously  against  the  Lord,  that  offered 
incense  in  the  high  places  everywhere :  for  as  they  were 
rebellious  and  disobedient  to  God,  preferring  their  own  inven- 
tions before  the  laws  of  God,  which  they  neglected ;  so  did 
they  despise  the  mystery  of  Christ,  the  only  mediator,  in 
departing  from  that  only  altar. 

In  the  court,  or  atrium,  did  stand  another  altar,  which 

ings.  .^y^g  called  the  brasen  altar,  or  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings, 

which  is  finely  described  in  the  twenty-seventh  of  Exodus. 
Of  this  sort  also  there  was  but  this  one.  For  it  was  not 
lawful  for  any  religious  man  to  sacrifice  in  any  other  place, 
saving  in  the  holy  place  where  this  altar  was,  imless  it  were 
by  some  singular  dispensation.  Therefore,  when  the  Reuben- 
itcs  with  their  confederates  had  built  an  altar  by  the  banks 
of  Jordan,  and  the  fame  thereof  was  brought  to  the  ears  of 
the  other  tribes  of  Israel,  they  did  all  agree  with  one  consent, 

fjosh.  xxii.  that  the  crime  was  to  be  punished  with  open  war.  Whereby 
we  may  again  gather  the  greatness  of  their  fault,  which, 
neglecting  that  altar,  did  offer  sacrifice  in  the  high  places : 
of  which  I  also  spake  before.      Now  that  only  and  catholic 

[1  Nam  Christus  Dominus  uoster  vcrus  est  rex  et  poutifex,  Lat. ; 
and — glory,  not  in  the  original.] 
[2  perpetuo  et  jugiter,  Lat.] 


The  altar  of 
burnt-offer 


10,  &c.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  159 

altar  of  ours  is  Jesus  Christ,  who  oft'oreJ  himself  a  living 
sacrifice  for  us  to  God.  Neither  is  there  any  sacrifice  in  all 
the  world  that  can  cleanse  sin,  but  that  alone.  Neither  do 
any  sacrifices  of  the  fiiithful  please  the  Father,  but  those  that 
are  by  faith  offered  upon  the  altar,  Jesus  Christ.  For  Christ 
doth  sanctify  us ;  and,  being  sanctified,  we  do  by  him  offer 
the  sacrifice  that  he  doth  well  accept  of.  This  have  I  taken 
out  of  the  apostle's  doctrine  in  the  thii'tcenth  to  the  Hebrews, 
and  the  twelfth  to  the  Romans. 

The  last  of  the  holy  vessels  was  the  brasen  laver,  which  Thcbrasen 
was  placed  in  the  atrium,  betwixt  the  veil  of  the  sanctum  and 
the  altar  of  burnt-offerings.      It  is  described  in  the  thirtieth  [Exod.  xl 
chapter  of  Exodus.      In  it  was  contained  the  water  where-  *^'' 
with  the  priests,  that  ministered  before  the  Lord,  did  wash 
themselves.     By  that  laver  was  Christ  signified,  which  is  the 
washing  of  the  faithful.     And  by  it  was  meant,  that  holy 
things  were  not  to  be  handled  with   unwashed  hands  and 
feet.     They  wash  themselves,  that  by  the  Holy  Ghost  are 
purified,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  are  made  fit  to  the  ministry 
of  religion :  but  he  is  in  danger  of  death,  that  is  not  a  par- 
taker of  the  grace  of  life. 

Beside  these,  there  are  also  reckoned  other  instruments 
belonging  to  the  tabernacle :  but  these  in  a  manner  are  the 
chief.  I  thought  not  good,  by  beating  out  busily  every  par- 
ticularity, to  rehearse  unto  you  every  small  thing,  lest  per- 
adventure  by  too  long  a  treatise  I  should  be  too  tedious  unto 
your  patience. 

Xow  the  same  holy  vessels,  that  were  in  the  tabernacle, 
were  in  the  temple  also;  saving  that  in  Salomon's  temple  there 
was  a  far  more  goodly  shew  and  pomp  than  in  the  taber- 
nacle :  for  none  other  cause,  undoubtedly,  but  that  the  mys- 
teries of  Christ  and  of  the  church  should  increase  every  day 
more  and  more  to  the  sight  of  the  world.  Cln-ist,  the  true 
Salomon,  and  king  of  peace  and  tranquillity,  the  very  eternal 
felicity  itself,  hath  raised  up  in  this  world  to  himself  a  church, 
which  stretcheth  to  the  ends  of  the  world  ;  of  which  the 
prophets  have  spoken  very  largely,  Zachary  especially,  and 
the  famous  prophet  Nathan,  second  of  Samuel,  chapter  seven. 
Thus  much  hitherto  of  the  holy  place. 

After  the  holy  place  in  the  sacred  ceremonies,  the  next 
to  be  handled  is  the  holy  time.     For  as  to  the  outward  rcli-  ume!"**'' 


160  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

glon  a  certain  place  -was  given,  so  to  the  same  also  an 
appointed  time  was  assigned.  And  holy  days  are  to  be 
employed  upon  holy  actions.  For  actions  are  either  those 
■which  we  call  handy  works  ^  invented  for  to  get  victuals, 
clothing,  and  other  things  necessary  for  the  use  of  our  bodies  ; 
or  else  they  are  holy  or  religious,  which  are  done  for  the 
exercise  of  outward  religion.  We  must  not  consume  all  our 
time  in  handy  works  and  profane  business ;  neither  can  we 
bestow  all  times  upon  outward  religion.  But  those  actions 
are  not  without  time :  for  every  action  is  contained  in  time. 
Therefore  God  hath  divided  the  time  into  sundry  parts  for 
sundry  actions  :  so  that  he  will  have  some  working  days,  to 
serve  for  handy  actions ;  and  other  holy  days,  for  the  exer- 
cise of  outward  religion.  Not  that  the  working  days  are 
not  holy  and  dedicated  to  the  Lord,  (for  he  doth  challenge 
all  days  and  times  to  himself,  and  will  at  all  seasons  be 
worshipped  in  heart ;)  but  for  because  the  holy  days  are 
singularly,  and,  as  it  were,  more  precisely,  consecrated  to  the 
outward  worship  of  God,  than  the  working  days  are. 
What  an  holy  Therefore  the  festival  or  holy  day,  which  by  God's  appoint- 
''^^"'  ment  is  holy  to  the  Lord,  was  kept  for  the  devout  exercising 
of  God's  outward  worship.  Therefore  those  days  are  not 
holy,  nor  those  feasts  lawful,  which  are  not  held  to  the  one 
and  only  God,  Jehovah :  neither  are  those  holy  days  lawful, 
in  which  the  lawful  service  of  God  is  not  lawfully  exercised. 
And  for  those  causes  the  sabbaths  and  festival-days  of  the 
Israelites  are  in  the  prophets  many  times  rejected,  because 
they  were  unlawfully  solemnized,  without  pure  faith  and 
sincere  affections. 
To  what  end  Now   all  holy  days  had  one   common  name,  and  were 

were^orkln-'  Called  sabbaths,  feasts  2,  holy  days 3,  meetings  and  assemblies. 
*'*■  All  holy  days,  what  name  soever  they  were  called  by,  were 

ordained  to  God  alone,  not  to  creatures,  not  for  surfeiting  and 
wanton  chambering.  All  holy  days  were  invented  for  the 
health,  profit,  and  recreation  of  mankind :  for  holy  davs 
are  no  burden,  but  the  casing  of  our  burdens.  Profane 
works,  I  confess,  are  profitable,  but  ease  is  also  necessary  : 
for  without  rest  labour  cannot    continue.     The   Lord's  will 

[1  et  quasi  prophansc,  Lat.  omitted  :  and,  as  it  wore,  profane] 

[2  item  festa,  Lat. ;  also  feasts.] 

[3  dies  stati  et  sancti,  Lat. ;  omitted.] 


v.]  THE     CEREMONIAL    LAWS     OF     GOD.  IGl 

tlicreforc  is,  to  give  man  a  time  of  recreation,  and  biddcth 
his  servants  to  be  merry  on  the  holy  days  in  hoHncss  and 
modesty  ;  so  that  their  ease  may  be  an  honest  recreation,  and 
not  reproachful  sensuality.  Again,  ease  of  itself  is  not  good, 
but  in  respect  of  another  thing  it  is  good.  God  biddeth  to 
cease  from  work,  but  yet  he  setteth  us  on  work  another  way  ; 
he  willeth  us  to  cease  from  bodily  labour,  and  begin  to  work 
in  heart  and  mind,  and  wholly  apply  ourselves  to  his  holy 
service.  And  therefore  it  is  needful  to  have  holy  assemblies, 
the  reading  of  the  holy  scriptures,  public  prayers,  sacrifices 
(for  it  is  prescribed  in  the  twenty-eighth  and  twenty-ninth 
chapters  of  the  book  of  Numbers  what  they  ought  to  offer 
at  every  feast  and  holy  day),  the  celebration  of  the  sacra- 
ments, and  whatsoever  else  the  Lord  hath  commanded  to  be 
done  at  festival-days  and  solemn  seasons.  For  that  one  thing 
is  here  required  especially,  which  Mary  found,  as  she  sat  at  [Luke  x.  39, 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  heard  his  word.  Moreover,  all  feasts 
generally  do  contain  the  memory,  and  put  us  in  the  remem- 
brance, of  notable  things ;  every  feast  according  to  the  name. 
The  sabbath  did  put  them  in  mind  of  God's  good  benefit  in  The  sabbaih. 
creating  the  world  for  the  behoof  and  profit  of  us  men.  It 
■was  also,  as  Moses  witnesseth,  Exodus  thirty-first,  a  sign  of 
the  true  sanctification,  which  God  alone  bestoweth  upon  the 
people  that  call -upon  his  name.  The  other  holy  days  did 
beat  into  them  the  memory  of  the  other  benefits  that  God 
had  shewed  them,  and  had  (as  I  will  anon  declare)  their 
several  significations. 

IS^ow  there  was  a  measure  and  certain  number  of  holy  a  measure 

,.,  ......  .,  and  certain 

days,  which  were  distmguished,  and  very  wisely  ordered :  55"j"'jj«[  y^ 
first  into  seven-nights^  whereof  every  one  had  in  it  one  sab- 
bath, that  was  the  seventh  day :  then  into  months ;  for  the 
first  day  of  every  month  was  holy  to  the  Lord,  and  was  called 
the  feast  of  the  new  moon^ :  and  lastly,  they  were  divided 
into  yearly  feasts,  which  returned  once  every  year  at  an 
appointed  season :  of  that  sort  of  feasts  there  were  three  in 
number,  the  passovcr,  pentecost,  and  the  feast  of  tabernacles^ 
Besides  these,  there  were  also  other  made  holy  days,  which 
God  had  not  commanded,  but  were  received  by  the  church 

[•*  septimanas,  Lat.]  [^  vcl  calendas,  Lat.] 

[•5  The  Latin  is,  et  septimi  mensis ;  and  (the  feast)  of  the  sevontli 
month.] 

r  1  11 

[bullingeh,  It. J 


Solemn  fast- 
ings. 


162  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

to  the  glory  of  God  and  remembrance  of  his  great  benefits. 
For  the  feast  of  lots,  which  they  called  Purim,  and  was  brought 
in  by  Mardocheus,  was  received  of  all  the  church,  as  is  to  be 
seen  in  the  ninth  of  Esther.  The  feast  of  dedication  was 
ordained  by  Judas  Maccabeus,  with  the  consent  of  all  the 
church,  in  memory  that  the  temple  was  restored  and  the 
people  delivered  from  the  tyranny  of  king  Antiochus,  as  is 
to  be  read  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Mac- 

john  X.  22,  cabees :  and  Christ  our  Lord  did  honour  that  feast  of  dedi- 
iinfast-  cation  with  an  holy  sermon.  Moreover,  there  were  solemn 
fastings  appointed  to  be  kept  among  the  people  of  God  :  as 
in  the  fifth  month,  wherein  the  city  was  set  on  fire ;  in  the 
seventh  month,  wherein  Godolias  was  slain ;  and  in  the  tenth 
month,  wherein  Hierusalem  was  besieged :  of  which  fastings 
the  prophet   Zachary  speaketh   in  his   seventh  and   eighth 

[Esth.  ix.  20  chapters :  and  in  the  time  of  Esther  a  fast  was  ordained  in 
the  month  Adar,  for  a  remembrance  of  the  calamity  which 
was  wrought,  or  rather  purposed,  against  the  Jews  by  the 
wicked  Aman. 

The  Sabbath.  Of  the  sabbath,  and  the  signification  thereof,  I  spake  a  little 
above,  and  in  another  place  also,  where  I  expounded  the  ten 
commandments  ^  The  sabbath  was  observed  by  a  natural  ^ 
and  divine  law  ever  from  the  first  creation  of  the  world,  and 
is  the  chief  of  all  other  holy  days.  For  it  was  not  then  first 
ordained  by  Moses,  when  the  ten  commandments  were  given 
by  God  from  heaven:  for  the  keeping  of  the  sabbath  was 
received  of  the  saints^  immediately  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world.  And  therefore  we  read  that  the  Lord  in  the  com- 
mandments did  say :  "  Remember  that  thou  keep  holy  the 
sabbath-day."  And  before  the  law  was  given,  there  is  evi- 
dent mention  made  of  the  sabbath  in  the  sixteenth  of  Exodus, 
and  the  second  of  Genesis. 

The  new  The  socoud  kind  of  holy  days  was  the  new  moons  ^  which 

""^"'  were  solemnized  in  the  beginning  of  every  month.      Mention 

is  made  of  them  in  the  x.  and  xxviii.  chapters  of  the  book  of 
Numbers,  1  Samuel  xx.,  Psalm  Ixxxi.,  Ezekiel  xlvi.,  and 
2  Chronicles  ii.      That  solemnization  is  reported  to  have  been 

[1  See  Vol.  I.  Dec.  2.  Serm.  iv.]  [2  quasi  naturali,  Lat.] 

[3  a  Sanctis,  Lat,] 

[■i  Secundum  genus  Sabbati  sive  fcriarura  sunt  calencire  vcl  noo- 
menite,  id  est  novilunia.  Lat.] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  1G3 

ordained  in  remembrance  of  the  light  created ;  to  admonish 
the  people  not  to  ascribe  the  months  to  Janus  or  Mars,  or 
any  other ^  planet,  but  to  the  one  and  holy*'  God,  the  maker, 
governor,  and  ruler  of  all  things  and  seasons.  INIoreover,  it 
•was  a  sign  of  the  reparation  or  renewing  of  faithful  minds 
by  the  heavenly  illumination :  that  we  Christians  may  truly 
and  in  deed  solemnize  the  new  moon,  when,  being  brought 
forth  of  darkness  into  light  by  the  Son  of  God,  we  walk  as 
becoraeth  the  children  of  light,  and  reject  the  works  of  the 
devil  and  darkness. 

The  third  kind  of  holy  days  doth  contain  the  feasts  that  The  three 

V  V  Year's  meet- 

return  once  every  year;  of  which  I  find  to  be  three:  the  i"gsori^,^ea 

«'     •'  '  bliesofthe 

passover,  the  pentecost,  and  the  feast  of  tabernacles  ^  Now  •'^^^^• 
the  Lord's  will  was,  that  in  these  three  feasts  there  should 
be  general  assemblies  and  solemn  meetings  in  the  holy  place, 
to  wit,  at  the  tabernacle,  and,  after  the  tabernacle,  at  Salomon's 
temple.  For  thus  saith  ]\Ioses  in  Deuteronomy  :  "  Thrice  in  [neut.  wi. 
the  year  shall  every  male  appear  before  the  Lord  thy  God 
in  the  place  which  he  hath  chosen ;  that  is,  in  the  feast  of 
sweet  bread,  in  the  feast  of  weeks,  and  in  the  feast  of  taber- 
nacles :  neither  shall  he  appear  empty  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord ;  every  one  according  to  the  gift  of  his  hand^,  and 
according  to  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  he 
hath  given  thee :"  that  is  to  say,  every  man  shall  offer  to 
the  Lord  according  as  he  can,  and  according  to  the  measure 
of  riches  which  the  Lord  hath  given  him.  Now  those  three 
solemn  feasts  were  divided  into  three  several  months,  most 
apt  to  journey  and  to  travel  in.  In  the  spring  time  was  the 
passover  holden,  when  first  the  corn  began  to  spindle  ^  or 
turn  into  ears.  About  harvest,  when  the  first  work  belong- 
ing to  husbandry  was  done  and  finished,  they  kept  the  feast 
of  pentecost.  And  lastly,  when  all  their  fruits  were  in,  they 
went  up  to  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  And  so  many  went  to 
it  as  possibly  could  go.  Some  are  of  opinion,  that  they,  which 
had  once  in  the  year  appeared  before  the  Lord,  were  dis- 
pensed withal,  and  might  lawfully  tarry  at  home  at  the  other 
two  feast-times.      But  I  think  verily  that  religious  men  did 

[6  divo  vol,  Lat.;  god  or.]  [C  soli,  Lat. ;  only,  ed.  1577.] 

["  festum  mcnsis  septiini,  Lat.;  the  feast  of  the  seventh  month.] 
[8   So  the  marg.  of  Auth.  Ver.] 
[9  to  shoot  into  a  long  small  stalk.    Johnson's  Diet.] 

11—2 


164  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

[Exod.xxxiv.  seldom  times  use  such  dispensations.  The  Lord  in  one  place 
promiseth  that  he  will  defend  and  keep  the  bounds  and  sub- 
stance of  them  that  travel  to  seek  his  name.  Howsoever 
those  dispensations  were  admitted,  yet  this  is  most  sure,  as 
appeareth  by  all  histories,  that  at  those  feasts  were  very 
great  assemblies'. 

Passover.  Now  the  foast  of  passovor  was  called  by  many  names", 

but  especially  it  was  termed  the  feast  of  sweet,  or  unleavened, 
bread  :  for  by  the  space  of  seven  whole  days  they  fed  upon 
unleavened  bread.  The  ceremonies  of  that  feast,  with  the 
sacrifices  that  were  to  be  offered  thereat,  are  at  large  described 
in  the  twelfth  of  Exodus,  and  twenty-third  of  Leviticus.  In 
that  feast  was  eaten  the  paschal  lamb,  in  no  other  place  but 
at  the  tabernacle,  or  afterward  at  the  temple,  Deut.  xvi., 
for  a  remembrance  of  that  notable  deliverance  of  Israel  and 
all  the  faithful  out  of  the  Egyptian  servitude  and  slavery. 
In  that  feast  God  would  have  the  first-fruits  of  their  land 
offered  unto  him,  in  token  of  the  manna  wherewith  he  fed 
their  fathers.  Moreover,  that  feast  did  signify  that  passing 
over  and  delivering  of  the  faithful,  which  in  the  sheddino-  of 
of  blood  was  accomplished  by  Christ.  Whereupon  the  apos- 
tle said,  "  Christ  our  passover  is  offered  up."  1  Cor.  v.  But 
of  the  passover  I  will  speak  more  in  my  next  sermon. 

Pentecost.  The  poutecost  was  also  called  the  feast  of  weeks,  and  new 

[Exod.xxxiv. . 

2^-]  corn  ;   lor  at   that  least  was  set  forth  shew-bread   made  of 

the  new  year's  corn^.  They  reckoned  from  the  next  day  after 
the  passover  seven  weeks,  that  is,  fifty  days ;  and  upon  the 
fiftieth  day  they  did  celebrate  the  memory  of  the  law  of 
God,  revealed  and  given  by  God  himself  from  heaven  unto  his 
people  Israel.  For  the  fiftieth  day  of  their  departure  out 
of  Egypt  we  read  that  the  Lord  himself  spake  to  them  at  the 
mount  Sinai,  and  gave  to  them  the  law  of  the  ten  command- 
ments :  so  that  the  pcntecost  was  a  memorial,  that,  as  then, 
the  church  was  illuminated  with  the  very  word  of  God.  And 
that  old  pentecost  was  a  figure  of  the  day  wherein  Christ  the 
Lord,  being  the  end  of  the  law,  did  send  the  Holy  Ghost 
upon  his  disciples,  and  did  illuminate  his  spouse  the  church-*. 

[^  concioncs  fuisse  longe  frcquontissimas,  Lat.] 

[2  See  below,  page  182.] 

[3  two  loaves,  Lcvit.  xsiii.  IG,  17.] 

[■*  universam  ccclesiam,  Lat. — his  spouse,  not  in  Lnt.] 


V.]"  THE    CEUEMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  165 

The   ceremonies   belonging   to   this    feast  arc  expressed  by- 
Moses  in  the  twenty-third  cliapter  of  Leviticus. 

They  kept  the  feast  of  tabernacles  in  the  seventh  month,  The  feast  or 
as  Moses  commanded  in  Deuteronomy,  saying  :  "  When  thou  monfhroJ*Ijf 
hast  gathered  in  the  crop  of  thy  land  and  vineyards^,  then  nacte. 
shalt  thou  keep  the  feast  of  tabernacles  by  the  space  of  seven  i^-is] 
days :  and  thou  shalt  be  merry  in  thy  holy  day,  thou,  and 
thy  son,  and  thy  daughter,  thy  manservant,  and  thy  maid- 
servant,  the   Levito,   the   stranger,  the  fatherless,   and   the 
widow,  that  are  within  thy  gates.     Seven  days  shalt  thou 
keep  holy  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  in  the  place  which  the 
Lord  hath  chosen  to  himself;  because  the  Lord  thy  God  hath 
given  thee  happy  success  in  all  thy  fruits,  and  in  all  the  work 
of  thy  hands.      See  therefore  that  thou  rejoice."     Moreover, 
the  manner  of  this  feast,  solemnly  celebrated,  is  to  be  read  in 
the  eighth  chapter  of  Nehemias,  where,  whosoever  looketh, 
he  shall  find  it  described  at  the  full. 

Now  this  feast  of  tabernacles  of  the  seventh  month  was 
divided  into  four  solemnities^.  For  the  first  day  of  the  xhefeastof 
month  was  the  feast  of  trumpets,  or  sounding  of  trumpets ;  ^"^^ 
which  was  a  memorial  of  those  troublesome  wars,  which  the 
people  did  happily  achieve,  by  the  help  and  aid  of  God, 
against  the  Amalekites^,  and^  all  other  their  heathen  enemies. 
And  by  that  feast  was  signified,  that  the  whole  life  of  man 
upon  the  earth  is  a  continual  warfare. 

Upon  the  tenth  day  of  the  same  month  was  held  the  feast  The  feast  of 
of  cleansing.  In  that  feast  the  priest,  in  a  solemn  form  Qf '^^^"^'"^• 
words,  began  to  confess  aloud  the  people's  sins ;  and  every 
man,  quietly  following  in  the  same  words,  did  recite  them  pri- 
vately to  himself,  and  in  his  mind  did  quietly  speak  unto  the 
Lord^.  To  those  confessions  was  added  the  ceremony  used 
with  the  scape-goat,  and  the  sacrifice,  which  is  at  large  set 
down  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Leviticus.     And  so  were 

[5  de  area  tua  et  de  torculari  tuo,  Lat.  and  Marg.  of  Autli.  Vcr. ; 
thy  floor  and  thy  winepress.] 

[c  Bullingor  here  recounts  the  chief  rehgious  anniversaries  of  tho 
seventh  month,  Tisri,  in  which  also  the  feast  of  tabernacles  occurred : 
coha?rent  enim  inter  se  festa  (juatuor,  as  he  says  in  his  Comment,  in 
Joan.  Lib.  iv.  foh  78.  Tigur.  155G.] 

['  primo  quidem,  Lat.;  in  the  first  instance.] 

[^  deinde  vero,  Lat.;  and  afterwards.] 

[9  Levit.  xvi.  21.     See  Lightfoot's  Temple  Service,  chap,  xv.] 


166 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


[Lev.xxiii. 
42,  43.] 


The  congre- 
gation. 


The  year  of 
jubilee. 


the  sins  of  the  people  cleansed  :  which  was  a  type  of  the 
cleansing  that  should  be  through  Christ ;  who,  being  once 
offered,  did  with  the  only  sacrifice  of  his  body  take  away  the 
sins  of  all  the  world.  It  did  also  contain  the  doctrine  of  true 
repentance. 

Upon  the  fifteenth  day  began  the  feast  of  tabernacles. 
For  by  the  space  of  seven  whole  days,  that  is,  from  the 
fifteenth  to  the  twenty-second,  the  people  dwelt  in  tabernacles. 
The  end  of  this  ceremony  the  scripture  doth  declare  to  be, 
that  the  posterity  should  know  that  the  Lord  did  place  their 
forefathers  in  tabernacles ;  whereby  they  were  put  in  mind 
of  the  good  that  he  did  to  them  while  they  were  in  the  wil- 
derness. For  they  were  kept  forty  years  in  the  wilderness, 
so  that  they  lacked  neither  victuals  nor  clothing.  And  by 
that  feast  we  are  warned  that  the  life  of  this  world  is  but  as 
a  stage,  and  that  we  have  no  abiding  place  to  stay  for  ever, 
but  are  still  looking  for  the  world  to  come ;  as  the  apostle 
Paul  taught  us,  2  Cor.  v.,  Heb.  xiii. 

The  fourth  feast  of  this  month  was  held  upon  the  twenty- 
second  day,  and  was  called  the  congregation,  or  assembly. 
Upon  that  day  was  gathered  the  offering  and  stipend  given 
to  the  ministry,  for  reparations  of  the  temple,  for  the  cost  of 
sacrifices,  and  maintenance  of  the  ministry  ^  It  is  thought 
that  in  that  feast  was  sung  the  eighty-fourth  Psalm :  "  How 
pleasant  arc  thy  tabernacles,"  &c.,  and  certain  other  Psalms 
called  Torculares  Psalmi~,  which  they  did  use.  Thus  much 
hitherto  concerning  the  feasts  that  fall  out  once  in  every  year. 

Here  also  I  think  it  necessary  to  make  mention  of  the 
year  of  jubilee.  Now  this  year  of  jubilee  was  every  fiftieth 
as  it  fell  by  course,  which  is  at  large  described,  with  all  the 
ceremonies  belonging  thereunto,  in  the  twenty-fifth  of  Leviti- 
cus. It  was  declared  to  all  the  people  in  the  land  of  promise 
by  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  made  of  a  ram's  horn,  with  a  pro- 
clamation of  freedom  to  all  them  that  were  wrapped  in  ser- 
vitude or  bondage. 

In  that  jubilee  was  contained  very  evidently  the  mystery 

\}  For  this  statement  BuUinger  refers,  in  his  Comment,  in  Joan. 
Lib.  IV.  fol.  78,  to  Lev.  xxiii.  and  Numb,  xxix.] 

[2  Psal.  viii.,  lxxx.,  and  Lxxxiii  ,  as  they  are  numbered  in  the  Vul- 
gate, bear  the  title,  Pro  torcularibus,  for  the  presses  (Douay  Bible) : 
the  title  in  our  Auth.  Ver.  is  upon  Gittitlu] 


v.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  167 

of  Christ  our  Lord,  -who  declared  to  us  the  meaning  of  that 
ceremony  out  of  the  sixty-first  chapter  of  the  prophecy  of 
Esay,  in  St  Luke's  Gospel,  chap,  iv.,  where  ho  saith,  that  he 
is  he  that  doth  indeed  proclaim  the  jubilee,  the  true  freedom 
and  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord.  Now  he  hath  pronounced 
remission  and  freedom  to  all  the  ftiithful,  not  with  a  trumpet 
made  of  a  ram's  horn,  but  with  the  gospel.  For  by  the 
mercy  of  God  in  the  merit  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
all  debts  or  sins  are  forgiven  to  all  the  faithful  that  live  upon 
the  face  of  all  the  earth,  upon  condition  that  we,  whose  sins 
are  forgiven,  should  likewise  forgive  the  trespasses  of  them 
that  offend  us.  And  in  Christ,  verily,  we  have^  the  true  and 
everlasting  rest,  that  shall  never  fail  us.  By  Christ  we  have 
return  granted  us  to  our  possession  or  country*,  from  whence 
we  were  fallen,  that  is,  to  heaven,  the  place  of  the  faithful. 

Thus  much  have  I  said  of  the  holy  time  or  holy  days,  as 
briefly  as  possibly  I  could.  The  rest  is  at  the  full  to  be  seen 
in  the  twenty-third  of  Exodus,  Levit.  xxiii.,  Numb,  xxviii.  and 
xxix.,  Deut.  xvi.  That  which  is  behind  touching  this  argu- 
ment (I  mean,  touching  the  Jewish  ceremonies)  I  will  by  God's 
leave  make  an  end  of  in  the  next  sermon.  Now  let  us  make 
our  humble  prayers  and  supplications  unto  God,  &c. 


OF  THE  SACRAMENTS  OF  THE  JEWS ;  OF  THEIR  SUNDRY 

SORTS   OF   SACRIFICES,    AND   CERTAIN   OTHER 

THINGS    PERTAINING    TO    THEIR 

CERE^IONIAL    LAW. 

THE    SIXTH    SERAION. 

In  my  last  sermon  I  spake  of  the  holy  persons,  I  mean, 
the  ministers  of  God's  religion,  the  Levitical  priests ;  and  the 
place  and  time  assigned  to  God's  service.  There  remaineth 
now  for  us  to  consider  the  holy  thing  which  those  holy  per- 
sons did  exercise  in  the  holy  time  and  place ;  I  mean,  the 
very  worship  and  holy  rites  so  ordained,  taught,  and  pre- 
scribed by  God  himself,  that  all  men  might  easily  understand 

[3  vocationem  et,  Lat.,  omitted;  our  calling  and.] 

[*  vetercm  nimiruni,  ad  tcrram  vivcntiuni,  Lat. ;  that  is,  the  ancient 

country,  to  the  land  of  the  living:— 'that  is— faithful,'  is  the  translator's 

addition.] 


168  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SEIIM. 

how  to  do  service,  and  what  honour  to  give  unto  the  Lord. 
In  this  treatise  we  have  first  to  consider  the  Jewish  sacra- 
ments, and  then  their  sacrifices. 

Two  sacra-  The  ancieut  church  of  the  saints  had  two  especial  sacra- 

ments of  the  .  .   .  -^,.11         1  •    1     T 

•synagogue,  mouts ;  circumcision,  and  the  paschal  lamb.  Of  both  which  I 
will  speak  severally,  and  agreeably  to  the  word  of  God, 
according  to  the  grace  which  the  Lord  shall  vouchsafe  to  give 
unto  me. 

Circumcision,  Now  circumcision  was  the  holy  action,  whereby  the  flesh 
of  the  foreskin  was  cut  away  for  a  sign  of  the  covenant  that 
God  made  with  men.  Or,  to  describe  it  more  largely,  cir- 
cumcision was  a  mark  in  the  privy  members  of  men,  betoken- 
ing the  eternal  covenant  of  God ;  and  was  ordained  by  God 
himself,  to  testify  his  good-will  toward  them  that  were  cir- 
cumcised, to  warn  them  of  regeneration  and  cleanness,  and  to 
make  a  difference  betwixt  the  confederates  of  God  and  other 
people  or  nations. 

The  original  The  author,  therefore,  of  circumcision  is  God  himself:  the 

or  beginning 

ci^sron?™"  beginning  of  it  is  of  great  antiquity.  For  the  Lord  himself 
LJohnvii.  in  the  gospel  saith :  "Circumcision  began  not  at  Moses,  but 
^^■■'  at  the  patriarchs."     Moses  verily  did  renew,  or  repair,  the 

law  or  custom  of  circumcision ;  but  Abraham,  the  renowned 
friend  of  God,  was  the  first  that  was  circumcised,  in  the  nine- 
tieth year^  of  his  age,  and  in  the  very  same  day  that  God, 
making  a  covenant  with  him,  did  first  ordain  the  use  of  cir- 
cumcision. For  he  added  circumcision  as  a  seal  to  the  league 
which  he  made  with  Abraham  and  with  his  seed  for  ever. 
The  place  is  extant  in  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  Genesis.  It 
was  first  ordained  in  the  2046  year  after  the  creation  of  the 
world,  390  years  after  the  deluge,  when  Sem,  the  son  of 
JN'oah,  was  487  years  old.  So  that  ]\Ioses  is  found  to  have 
been  born  320  years  after  the  first  institution  of  circumcision  : 
whereby  it  appeareth,  that  circumcision  was  in  use  among  the 
patriarchs  400  years  before  the  law  was  given  to  the  Israel- 
ites by  the  hand  of  Moses  2. 

[1  Nonagcsimum  nonum,  Lat. ;  ninety  years  old  and  nine.  Gen. 
xvii.  24.] 

[2  According  to  Abp.  Usher,  these  dates  are  as  follows :  Circum- 
cision was  instituted  a.m.  2107,  after  the  deluge  450  years,  when  Shem 
was  549  years  old,  before  Moses'  birth  326  years,  and  before  the  giving 
of  the  law  40G  years.  But  see  Vol.  r.  page  42,  note ;  and  The  Old 
Faith,  in  works  of  Covcrdalc,  Parker  Soc.  ed.  p.  36.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  ICO 

Now  for  because  circumcision  is  added  as  a  sign  or  seal  or  the  league 
to  the  league  that  was  made  betwixt  God  and  Abraham,  I  man!"**'"* 
must  briefly,  and  by  a  short  digression,  touch  the  manner  or 
order  of  that  covenant.  God,  in  making  of  leagues,  as  he 
doth  in  all  things  else,  applieth  himself  to  our  capacities,  and 
imitateth  the  order  which  men  use  in  making  confederacies. 
Men  do  by  leagues,  as  by  most  sure  and  stedfast  bonds,  bind 
themselves  to  the  society  and  fellowship  of  one  body  or  people ; 
in  which  society,  to  the  end  they  may  be  the  safer,  and  live 
more  quietly  from  the  wrongs  and  injuries  of  all  other  nations, 
they  do  mutually  hazard  both  lives  and  livings,  the  one  in 
defence  of  the  other's  liberty.  In  these  leagues  they  do 
precisely  express  what  they  be  that  make  the  confederacy, 
upon  what  conditions,  and  how  far  the  covenant  shall  extend. 
And  therefore,  when  God''s  mind  was  to  declare  the  favour 
and  good-will  that  he  bare  to  mankind,  and  to  make  us  men 
partakers  wholly  of  himself  and  his  goodness,  by  pouring 
himself  out  upon  us,  to  our  great  good  and  profit,  it  pleased 
him  to  make  a  league  or  covenant  with  mankind.  Kow  he 
did  not  first  begin  the  league  with  Abraham,  but  did  renew 
to  him  the  covenant  that  he  had  made  a  great  while  before. 
For  he  did  first  of  all  make  it  with  Adam,  the  first  father  of 
us  all,  immediately  upon  his  transgression,  when  he  received 
him,  silly  wretch 2,  into  his  favour  again,  and  promised  his 
only-begotten  Son,  in  whom  he  would  be  reconciled  to  the 
world,  and  through  whom  he  would  wholly  bestow  himself 
upon  us,  by  making  us  partakers  of  all  his  good  and  heavenly 
blessings,  and  by  binding  us  unto  himself  in  faith  and  due 
obedience.  This  ancient  league,  made  first  with  Adam,  he 
did  afterward  renew  to  Noah,  and  after  that  again  with  the 
blessed  patriarch  Abraham.  And  again,  after  the  space  of 
four  hundred  years,  it  was  renewed  under  Closes  at  the 
mount  Sinai,  where  the  conditions  of  the  league  were  at  large 
written  in  the  two  tables,  and  many  ceremonies  added  there- 
unto. But  most  excellently  of  all,  most  clearly  and  evidently, 
did  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  himself^  shew  forth 
that  league ;  who,  wiping  away  all  the  ceremonies,  types, 
figures,  and  shadows,  brought  in  instead  of  them  the  very 
truth,  and  did  most  absolutely  fulfil  and  finish  the  old  league, 

[3  jam  profugum,  Lat. ;  now  become  an  outcast.] 
[1  tandem,  Lat. ;  at  length.] 


170  THE    THIRD    DECADE,  [SERM. 

bringing  all  the  principles  of  our  salvation  and  true  godliness 
into  a  brief  summary,  which,  for  the  renewing  and  fulfilling 
of  all  things,  and  for  the  abrogation  of  the  old  ceremonies, 
he  called  the  new  league,  or  new  testament.  In  that  testament 
Christ  alone  is  preached,  the  perfectness  and  fulness  of  all 
things ;  in  it  there  is  nothing  more  desired  than  faith  and 
charity;  and  in  it  is  granted  holy  and  wonderful  liberty  unto 
the  godly  :  of  which  I  will  speak  at  another  time.  But  now 
I  return  to  the  league  which  was  renewed  with  Abraham. 
Between  Wo  are  oxprossly  taught  in  Genesis,  who  they  were  that 

league  was  made  the  league ;  that  is,  the  living,  eternal,  and  omnipotent 
God,  who  is  the  chief  maker,  preserver,  and  governor  of  all 
things ;  and  Abraham  with  all  his  seed,  that  is,  with  all  the 
faithful,  of  what  nation  or  country  soever  they  be.  For  so 
doth  the  Apostle  expound  the  seed  of  Abraham,  especially  in 
LGai.  iii.29.]  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  where  he  saith,  "If  ye  be  Christ's, 

then  are  ye  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  heirs  by  promise." 
The  time,  The  time,  how  long  this  league  should  endure,  is  eternal, 

this  league    aud   wlthout  oud  or  term   of  time.     For  although,   in  the 

shouKl  last.  .  ,  °. 

renewings  or  declarations  of  the  league,  many  things  were 
added  which  afterward  did  vanish  away,  especially  when 
Christ  was  come  in  the  flesh ;  yet  notwithstanding,  in  the 
substantial  and  chiefest  points,  ye  can  find  nothing  altered  or 
changed.  For  God  is  always  the  God  of  his  people  :  he  doth 
always  demand  and  require  of  them  faithful  obedience;  as  may 
most  evidently  be  perceived  in  the  new  Testament. 
The  condi-  For  thoro  are  two  points,  or  especial  conditions,  contained 

leagu^or  ^  in  this  Icaguo :  the  first  whereof  declareth  what  God  doth 
promise,  and  what  he  will  do  for  his  confederates;  I  mean, 
what  we  may  look  for  at  his  hands :  the  second  compre- 
hendcth  the  duty  of  man,  which  he  doth  owe  to  God,  his 
confederate  and  sovereign  prince.  Therefore  God  for  his 
part  saith,  "  I  will  be  thy  God,  and  Saddai^  that  is,  thy  ful- 
ness and  sufiSciency ;  I  will,  I  say,  be  thy  God,  and  the  God 
of  thy  seed  after  thee."  God  of  himself  is  wholly  sufiicicnt  to 
most  absolute  perfectness  and  blessedness ;  neither  needeth 
he  the  help  of  any  other,  since  whatsoever  is  in  any  place 
Godisaii  in  whcrcsoever,  it  is  both  of  him,  and  hath  abiding  by  him  ;  God 

all  to  his  '  '  O      J  ' 

confederates,  glono  sufficcth  man,  aud  he  alone  is  the  giver  of  all  that  men 
desire,  or  doth   belong   to  perfect  felicity.      And  therefore 
[1  See  Vol.  I.  p.  215,  note  G.] 


VI.]  THE     CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF   GOD.  171 

Saturnus  (peradvcnturc  by  occasion  of  the  word  SadJai)  took 
his  name  among  the  heathen,  and  significth  to  suffice,  or 
satisfy.  For  he  alone  is  able  to  satisfy  or  suffice  all,  who  is 
himself  very  fulness  and  sufficiency  itself.  But  now  God 
sheweth,  by  two  arguments,  that  he  will  be  the  sufficiency,  or 
all  in  all,  to  the  seed  of  Abraham.  For  first  he  saith  :  "  To  C^en.  xv.  ir, 
thy  seed  will  I  give  the  land  of  Canaan."  In  which  promise 
he  comprehendeth  all  earthly  and  bodily  benefits ;  to  wit, 
great  wealth,  felicity,  tranquillity,  abundance  of  all  things,, 
health,  glory,  notable  victories,  and  whatsoever  else  pcr- 
taineth  to  the  preservation  and  temporal  happiness  of  man- 
kind. Now  how  he  did  perform  this  promise  to  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  the  holy  scripture  doth  declare;  by  that  means 
teaching,  that  the  very  true  God  was  the  God  of  Abraham's 
seed,  as  he  had  promised  to  their  father  Abraham.  Second- 
arily, he  promiseth  that  Seed  wherein  all  the  nations  of  the  [cen.  xii 
earth  were  to  be  blessed ;  to  wit,  Christ  the  Saviour,  whom 
he  had  promised  to  Adam  many  years  before.  To  bless  is 
to  enrich  with  all  spiritual  benediction :  wherein  he  compre- 
hendeth all  the  spiritual  gifts  of  God ;  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
the  reviving  of  life,  and  glory  everlasting.  To  bless  also  is 
to  take  away  a  curse ;  so  that  this  promise  of  God's  to  Abra- 
ham is  all  one  with  that  which  he  made  to  Adam,  saying ; 
"  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  tread  down  the  serpent's  head."  [Cen.  ai  i.-.i 
For  the  head  of  the  old  dragon  is  nothing  else  but  the  power 
and  kingdom  of  Satan.  His  power  is  the  curse,  sin,  and 
death.  Therefore,  when  his  head  is  crushed  or  trodden  down, 
the  curse  is  taken  away ;  and  instead  of  the  curse  succeedcth 
a  blessing.  By  this,  I  say,  he  doth  declare  that  he  will  be 
the  God  of  Abraham  and  of  his  seed. 

The  second  condition  of  the  league  betwixt  God  and  man  what  is 
prescribeth  to  man  what  he  must  do,  and  how  he  must  behave  men  in  me 

league. 

himself  toward  God,  his  confederate  and  sovereign  prince. 
"Walk  before  me,"  saith  God  to  man,  "and  be  upright."  [Gen.xvui.] 
Now  they  walk  before  God,  which  do  direct  all  their  life, 
words,  and  works,  according  to  the  will  of  God.  His  will  is 
that  we  should  be  upright.  That  uprightness  is  gotten  by 
faith,  hope,  and  charity  ;  in  which  three  arc  contained  all 
the  offices  of  saints,  which  are  the  friends  and  confederates  of 
the  Lord.  Therefore  this  latter  condition  of  the  league  doth 
teach  the  confederates  what  to  do,  and  how  to  behave  them- 


172  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

selves  before  the  Lord ;  to  wit,  to  take  him  for  their  God,  to 
stick  to  him  alone,  who  is  their  only  all  in  all,  to  call  upon 
him  alone,  to  worship  him  alone,  and,  through  the  Messiah, 
to  look  for  sanctification  and  life  everlasting.  These  were  the 
conditions  of  the  covenant ;  to  which  the  number  of  ceremonies 
were  not  added  in  Abraham's  time,  which  afterward  were 
given  to  the  Israelites  under  the  leading  of  their  captain 
Moses. 
Circumcision         To  this  confcderacv  the  Lord  did  add  circumcision  as  a 

was  the  sign   ■    ^  "^  . 

nexld  to"the  ^^&^  ^^  ^®^^'  ^^  coufirm  it  withal.    Seals  are  put  to  writings  for 

league.  ^^^  effectual  force  and  confirmation's  sake.  The  tables,  or 
writings,  do  contain  and  give  evidence  of  all  the  points  of  the 
whole  league.  Circumcision,  therefore,  is  added  to  the  league 
instead  of  the  writing  \  and  also  of  the  seal ;  and  for  that 
cause  circumcision  is  called  the  league  itself  ^ :  even  as  the 
writings  or  letters  of  covenants  among  us  are  commonly  called 
the  very  covenant^,  when  as  in  deed  they  are  nothing  else 
but  the  evidences  of  the  league,  which  contain  in  writing  all 
the  order  of  the  confederacy,  and  confirm  it  with  a  seal.  It 
is  A^ery  usual  that  the  signs  do  take  the  names  of  the  things 
which  they  do  signify ;  so  that  it  is  no  marvel  though  circum- 
cision be  called  the  league,  when  as  in  deed  the  league  is 
not  the  cutting  of  the  skin,  but  the  communion  of  fellowship 

Gen.  xvii.  which  WO  havc  with  God.  In  the  seventeenth  of  Genesis 
thus  saith  the  Lord  touching  this  sign  of  outward  circum- 
cision :  "  This  is  my  covenant,  which  ye  shall  keep  betwixt 
me  and  you,  and  thy  seed  after  thee  ;  every  male  shall  be 
circumcised  among  you.  Ye  shall  circumcise  the  flesh  of  your 
foreskin,  and  it  shall  be  for  a  sign  of  the  covenant  betwixt 
me  and  you,"  &c.  Lo  here  circumcision,  in  these  words  of 
the  Lord's,  is  first  named  the  covenant ;  and  afterwards,  for 
exposition's  sake,  it  is  called  the  sign  of  the  covenant.    In  the 

Actsvii.  same  sense  doth  St  Stephen  call  it  a  testament,  in  the  seventh 
chapter  of  the  Acts,  when  he  meant  that  it  was  the  sign  or 
seal  of  the  testament. 

Moreover,  the  manner  of  circumcision  is  declared  :  *'  Ye 

[1  tabularum,  Lat.] 

[2  Sec  Gen.  xvii.  9,  13.  Mi/  covenant,  that  is,  the  sign  of  my  covc- 
riant,  or  testament,  as  is  explained  in  verso  11.  Ainsworth  on  Gen. 
xvii.  10.] 

[3  der  bund,  ipsuni  inquani  foedus,  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  173 

shall,"  saith  God,  "circumcise  the  flesh   of  your  foreskin'*."  The  manner 

_  ^  _  and  order  of 

The  cutting:  or  taking  away  of  this  flesh  was  called  circum-  'ircumcuion. 

.   ,  o  °  .  .  ['-ien.  xvii. 

cision.  But  now,  whose  oflice  it  was  to  cut  that  skin  away,  "• 
we  find  not  expressed.  It  appeareth  that  the  most  honour- 
able in  every  house  or  family,  I  mean,  the  first-begotten,  or 
ancient  of  every  household,  did  circumcise,  before  the  law ; 
which  ofllice  was  turned  to  the  priests,  when  once  the  law  was 
given^  It  is  a  singular  example,  and  no  more  to  be  found 
like  unto  it,  that  Zipporah,  the  wife  of  Moses,  did  circumcise 
her  son.     Exodus,  chap.  iv. 

Now  also  the  time  of  circumcision  is  set  down,  to  wit,  the 
eighth  day,  when  the  new-born  child  began  to  be  of  a  little 
more  strength.  And  we  gather  out  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  the 
book  of  Josue,  that  they  did  circumcise  them  not  with  knives 
of  iron,  but  of  stone :  for  in  that  chapter  the  Lord  doth  in 
express  words  command  to  circumcise  the  sons  of  Israel  with 
knives  of  stone ^.  But  it  is  manifest  by  the  rites  of  the  sacra- 
ments, that  God  doth  alter  nothing  in  the  ceremonies  of  the 
sacraments :  and  therefore  we  conjecture  and  gather,  that 
Abraham  used  none  other  but  knives  of  stone,  especially 
since  we  read  that  Zippora,  Moses  his  wife,  did  circumcise 
her  son  with  a  stone. 

The  rest  of  the  Jewish  trifles,  which  they  sow  abroad 
touching  the  ceremonies  of  circumcision,  I  do  of  purpose  here 
let  pass :  for  they  are  utterly  unworthy  to  be  heard,  and 
have  no  mystery  contained  in  them.  But  the  knife  of  stone 
is  of  force  in  the  exposition  of  the  mystery  of  circumcision  : 
for  circumcision  had  a  mystery  and  a  most  certain  meaning 
hidden  within  it. 

For,  first,  circumcision  did  signify  that  the  whole  nature  The  mystery 

1       1  /.  1  11  af"'  meaning 

of  man  is  unclean  and  corrupt;  and  thereiore  that  all  men  ofcircumc- 

>  .  sion. 

have  need  of  cutting  and  regeneration.  And  for  that  cause 
that  cutting  was  made  in  the  member  wherewith  man  is 
begotten^.  For  we  are  all  begotten  and  born  the  sons  of 
wrath  in  original  sin.  Neither  doth  any  man  deliver  us  from 
that  damnation,  but  he  alone  that  is  without  sin,  to  wit,  the 
blessed  Seed,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  who  was  conceived  by 

[*  A  sentence  of  the  original  and  of  tlic  translation  is  here  omitted.] 
[5  See  above,  p.  143.] 

[G  verse  2,  sharp  knives,  Auth.  Vcr. ;  marg.  knives  of  flints.] 
[7  Cf.  Augustin.  Expos,  in  Evang.  Joan.  Tract.  xxx.J 


174  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

the  Holy  Ghost,  and  born  of  the  virgin  Mary  ;  who  with  the 
shedding  of  his  blood  (which  was  prefigured  in  the  blood  shed 
in  circumcision)  doth  cleanse  us  from  sin,  and  make  us  heirs 
of  everlasting  life.  And  now  this  circumcision  maketh  sorely 
against  them  that  deny  original  sin ;  and  putteth  them  to 
their  shifts,  that  attribute  justification  and  salvation  to  our 
own  strength  and  virtue.  For  if  we  were  clean,  if  we  by  our 
own  power  could  get  salvation,  what  needed  our  fathers  to  be 
cut  in  that  sort?  The  things  that  are  cut  off  are  either 
unpure,  or  else  superfluous.  But  God  made  nothing  unpure 
or  superfluous.  Now  he  made  the  flesh  of  the  foreskin.  If 
the  flesh  of  the  foreskin  had  been  evil,  God  had  not  made 
man  with  the  flesh  of  the  foreskin.  The  skin,  therefore,  is 
not  evil  of  itself,  nor  yet  superfluous :  but  the  cutting  of  the 
foreskin  doth  rather  serve  to  teach  us  to  understand,  that  by 
our  birth  and  nature  we  are  corrupt,  and  that  we  cannot  be 
cleansed  of  that  corruption  but  by  the  knife  of  stone.  And 
for  that  cause,  verily,  was  circumcision  given  in  that  member, 
and  in  none  other.  I  will  anon  add  another  cause  out  of 
Lactantius,  why  it  was  given  in  none  other  part  of  all  the 
body. 

Moreover,  circumcision  did  signify  and  testify  that  God 
Almighty,  of  his  mere  grace  and  goodness,  is  joined  with  an 
indissoluble  bond  of  covenant  unto  us  men,  whom  his  will  is 
first  to  sanctify,  then  to  justify S  and  lastly  to  enrich  with 
all  heavenly  treasures  through  Christ,  our  Lord  and  recon- 
ciler. For  that  was  the  meaning  of  the  stony  knife ;  because 
Christ,  the  blessed  Seed,  is  the  rock  of  stone  out  of  which 
do  flow  most  pure  and  cleansing  waters ;  and  he  by  his  Spirit 
doth  cut  from  us  whatsoever  things  do  hinder  the  mutual 
league  and  amity  betwixt  God  and  us:  he  also  doth  give  and 
increase  in  us  both  hope  and  charity  in  faith,  so  that  we  may 
be  knit  and  joined  to  God  in  life  everlasting,  which  is  the 
blessed  and  happy  life  indeed. 

Now  here  it  is  expedient  to  hear  the  testimonies  of  the 
law  and  the  apostles.  In  the  thirtieth  of  Deuteronomy 
Moses  saith:  "The  Lord  thy  God  shall  circumcise  thy 
heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  that  thou  mayest  love  the 
Lord  thy  God."  Now  the  outward  and  visible  cutting  was  a 
sign  of  this  inward  circumcision.  And  Paul  also,  speaking  of 
[1  quos  velit  sauctificatoB  justificave,  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF     GOD.  175 

Abraham,  saith  :  "  And  ho  received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  [Rom.  iv. 
as  the  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faitli  which  he  had  being 
yet  uncircumcised ;  that  he  should  be  the  father  of  all  them 
that  believe,  though  they  were  not  circumcised ;  that  right- 
eousness might  be  imputed  to  them  also,"  &c.  Lo  here, 
Abraham's  circumcision  was  a  sign  that  God  by  his  grace  had 
justified  Abraham  ;  which  justification  he  received  by  faith 
before  his  circumcision :  which  is  an  argument,  that  they 
which  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcised,  are  neverthe- 
less justified  with  faithful  Abraham ;  and  again,  that  the 
Jews,  which  are  circumcised,  are-  justified  of  God  by  faith. 
And  for  that  cause  was  circumcision  given  in  the  very  body 
of  man,  that  he  might  bear  in  his  body  the  league  of  God, 
and  be  thereby  admonished  that  he  is  justified  -by  grace 
through  faith. 

Whereby  we  gather  also,  that  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  The  grace  of 
lustification  of  the  godly,  is  not  tied  to  the  sign:  for  if  it  t'e<i t? cu- 
had,  then  had  not  Abraham  been  justified  before  his  circum- 
cision, but  even  in  his  circumcision.  Furthermore,  if  it  had 
been  so,  then  the  Lord,  whose  will  is  to  have  mankind  saved, 
would  not  have  given  commandment  to  have  them  circumcised 
upon  the  eighth  day  :  for  many  children  died  before  the 
eighth  day,  and  never  came  to  circumcision ;  and  yet  they 
were  not  damned.  To  which  we  may  add  that  Sara,  Rebecca, 
Rahel,  Jochabeth,  and  Mary,  Moses'  sister,  with  innumerable 
more  matrons  and  holy  virgins,  could  not  be  circumcised;  and 
yet  they  were  saved  by  the  grace  of  God  through  faith  in 
the  Messiah  that  was  to  come.  The  grace  of  God,  therefore, 
was  not  tied  to  the  sacrament  of  circumcision :  but  yet  it  was 
not  despised  and  neglected  of  the  holy  saints  of  the  old  church, 
but  used  to  the  end  for  which  it  was  ordained,  that  is,  to  be 
a  testimony  and  a  seal  of  free  justification  in  Christ^,  who  coioss.  ii. 
circumciseth  us  spiritually  without  hands  by  the  working  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

Furthermore,  God  by  the  outward  and  visible  sign  did  Bydrcum- 

,  .  Ill  1-1  •  •        1        •      cision  the 

gather  into    one    church    them    which   were   circumcised :  in  tircumcised 

,  .    ,  .  ...      •'"''^  gathered 

which  number  those  which  he  had  chosen  before^  he  did  ioin  jntoone 

J  body. 

to  himself  with  the  bond  of  his  Spirit.      For  St  Paul,  for  the 

[2  sciant  se,  Lat. ;  may  know  that  tliey  arc] 
[3  venturo,  Lat. ;  who  was  to  come] 
[*  ex  quibus  electos,  Lat,] 


17G  THE    THIUD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

very  same  cause,  did  call  the  people  of  one  religion  the  cir- 
cumcision, as  is  evident  by  the  fifteenth  chapter  to  the  Romans, 
and  the  third  to  the  Philippians.  Therefore  by  circumcision 
God  did  separate  his  people  from  the  unbeheving  nations. 
Whereupon  it  came,  that  to  be  called  uncircumcised  was  as 
great  reproach  among  them,  as  to  be  called  dog  is  now-a-days 
among  us :   for  an  uncircumcised  person  was  reputed  for  an 

1  Sam.  xvii.  unclean  and  profane  man,  and  for  such  an  one  as  had  no 
part  in  God  nor  his  covenants. 

Circumcision         Finally,  circumcision  did  put  the  circumcised  in  mind  of 

imtteth  a  .  ''  '  '■ 

of  ws  diuy""^  their  duty  all  their  life  long ;  to  wit,  that  every  man  should 
think  that  he  had  taken  upon  him  to  profess  God,  and  to  bear 
in  his  body  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord.  For  that  is  the  cause 
why  the  Israelites  were  named,   or  had  their  names  given 

rLiiUe  i  59.    them,  in  their  circumcision :  for  it  is  evident  in   Luke,   that 

&  11.21.]  '  _  _  _  '     _ 

John  Baptist  and  Jesus  our  Saviour  had  their  names  given 
[Gen.  xvii.  them  at  their  circumcision  ;  even  as  also  the  first  circumcised 
^'•'  at  his  circumcision  was  called  Abraham,  whose  name  before 

was  said  to  be  Abram. 

It  did  admonish  the  circumcised  of  his  duty,  forsomuch 
as  he  had  given  his  name  unto  the  Lord,  his  confederate,  to  be 
enrolled  in  the  register  of  God  among  the  names  of  them  that 
give  themselves  unto  the  Lord :  wherefore  he  ought,  by  cove- 
nant and  duty,  to  frame  his  life,  not  after  his  own  lust  and 
pleasure  \  but  according  to  the  will  of  God,  to  whom  he  did 
betake  himself.  For  the  condition  of  the  covenant  was,  that 
the  circumcised  should  not  defile  themselves  with  idolatry  and 
strange  religions ;  that  they  should  not  pollute  with  unclean 
living  the  bodies  and  minds  that  were  hallowed  to  the  Lord; 
but  that  they,  persevering  in  true  faith,  should  ensue  godhncss, 
shew  the  works  of  repentance,  and  be  obedient  to  God  in  all 
things.  For  thus  saith  Moses  in  the  tenth  of  Deuteronomy  : 
"Circumcise  the  foreskin  of  your  hearts,  and  harden  not  your 
necks  any  longer."  To  which  words  the  prophet  Jeremy 
jei.lv.  alludeth  in  his  fourth  chapter,  saying:  "Be  ye  circumcised  to 
the  Lord,  and  cut  away  the  foreskin  of  your  heart."  And  the 
[Acts vii. 51.1  martyr  St  Stephen,  rebuking  the  unbelieving  Jews,  saith  :  "Ye 
stiff-necked,  and  of  uncircumcised  heart  and  cars,  ye  always 
resist  the  Holy  Ghost."  Very  rightly,  therefore,  doth  the  holy 
apostle  Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  the  second  chapter, 
[1  aut  aliorum  voluntatc,  Lat.,  omitted;  or  the  will  of  others.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  177 

declare  that  there  arc  two  sorts  of  circumcision:   the  one  ofTwocircum- 
the  letter,  in  the  tiesh,  the  outward  circumcision,  that  is  made  ofthcs,,irit. 

the  other  of 

With  hands  ;  the  other  in  the  heart,  of  the  Spirit,  the  inward  ">eieiier. 
circumcision,  which  is  made  by  the  means  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  circumcision  of  the  heart  God  doth  well  like  of  in  those 
that  be  his  ;  but  that  in  the  tiesh  he  doth  utterly  mislike  of,  if, 
as  the  flesh  is,  the  heart  be  not  circumcised.  The  liking  and 
misliking  of  these  two  circumcisions  is  in  that  which  went 
before  so  plainly  already  declared,  that  I  need  not  to  stick 
any  longer  upon  it. 

And  here  I  think  it  not  amiss,  before  I  make  an  end  of  Lacuntius 

'  touching 

circumcision,  to  rehearse  unto  you,  dearly  beloved,  the  words  circumcision 
of  the  ancient  writer  Lactantius,  Lib.  Instit.  iv.  chap.  17. 
where  he  speaketh  of  circumcision  in  this  manner :  "  The 
meaning  of  circumcision  was,  that  we  should  make  bare  our 
breasts ;  to  wit,  that  we  should  live  with  a  simple  and  plain 
deahng  heart ;  because  that  part  of  the  body,  which  is  circum- 
cised, is  partly  like  to  a  heart,  and  an  object  of  shame-':  and 
the  cause  why  God  commanded  to  make  it  bare  was,  that  by 
that  sign  he  might  admonish  us  not  to  have  a  covered  heart, 
that  is,  that  we  should  not  cover  within  the  secrets  of  our 
conscience  any  crime  whereof  we  ought  to  be  ashamed.  And 
this  is  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  whereof  the  prophets 
speak,  which  God  hath  translated  from  the  mortal  flesh  to  the 
immortal  soul.  For  the  Lord  being  wholly  set  and  fully 
minded,  according  to  his  eternal  goodness,  to  have  a  care  for 
our  life  and  safeguard,  did  set  repentance  before  our  eyes  for 
us  to  follow,  as  a  way  to  bring  us  thereunto  :  so  that,  if  we 
make  bare  our  hearts,  that  is,  if  by  confession  of  our  sins 
we  satisfy  the  Lord,  we  should  obtain  pardon,  which  is  denied 
to  the  proud  and  those  that  conceal  their  faults  by  God,  who 
bcholdcth  not  the  face  as  man  doth,  but  searcheth  the  secrets 
of  the  breast^."    Thus  much  hitherto  hath  that  ancient  writer 

[2  substituted  for  another  term;  et  pudenda,  Lat.] 
[3  Hujus  secundse  circumcisionis  figuraerat,  (illacarnis  circumcisio) 
significans,  nudandum  esse  pectus,  id  est,  aperto  ct  simplici  cordo 
oportero  nos  vivere;  quoniam  pars  ilia  corporis,  qua?  circuniciditur, 
habet  quandam  similitudincm  cordis,  et  est  pudenda.  Ob  banc  causam 
Dcus  nudari  earn  jussit;  ut  hoc  argumento  nos  admoneret,  no  invo- 
lutum  pectus  haberenius,  id  est,  ne  quod  pudendum  facinus  intra  con- 
scientia)  secreta  velemus.  Hacc  est  cordis  circumcisio,  do  qua  pro- 
phetse  loquuntur;  quam  Deus  a  carne  mortali  ad  animam  transtulit, 

r  1  12 

[bullinger,   il] 


[Exod.  xii. 
23.] 


178  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERJM, 

of  the  church,  Lactantius  Firmianus,  declared  unto  us  touching 
the  mystery  of  circumcision. 

Now  all  this,  which  hitherto  I  have  said  touching  the 
meaning  and  mystery  of  circumcision,  was  set  forth,  as  in 
a  picture,  to  be  seen  of  all  men's  eyes,  so  often  as  circumcision 
was  solemnized  in  the  church.  There  was  the  league,  as  it 
were,  renewed,  which  God  did  make  with  men.  There  was 
the  grace  of  God,  his  sanctification,  and  our  corruption,  de- 
clared :  therein  did  Christ,  the  rock  of  stone,  appear,  who  with 
his  Spirit  doth  cut  and  wash  away  all  spots  of  the  church. 
Moreover,  the  worshippers  of  God  did  learn  by  that  sign,  and 
so  by  all  the  holy  ceremony,  that  they,  being  in  one  celestiaP 
body,  ought  to  do  their  endeavour  by  pureness  of  living  to 
win  the  favour  of  God,  their  confederate ;  because  by  the 
visible  circumcision  there  was,  after  a  sort,  an  open  confession 
made  of  the  true  religion,  of  free  consent  to  the  true  religion, 
and  of  a  binding  by  promise  unto  the  same.  He  therefore 
that  did  despise  or  unadvisedly  neglect  that  holy  ceremony 
was  sharply  punished,  as  may  be  gathered  by  the  seventeenth 
of  Genesis,  and  the  fourth  chapter  of  Exodus.  And  so  much 
hitherto  concerning  circumcision. 

There  followeth  now  the  second  sacrament  of  the  ancient 
church,  I  mean,  the  paschaP  lamb.  It  is  an  Hebrew  word, 
not  signifying  a  passion,  as  it  should  seem  if  it  were  derived 
according  to  the  Greek  etymology^;  but  it  signifieth  a  skipping, 
a  leaping,  or  a  passing  over :  for  the  Hebrew  signifieth 
to  leap  or  pass  over^.  The  cause  of  this  word  Moses  sheweth 
in  the  law,  where  he  saith  :  "  The  Lord  shall  go  over  to  strike 
the  Egyptians ;  and  when  he  shall  see  the  blood  upon  the 
upper  post,  and  the  two  side  posts  of  the  door,  the  Lord  will 

qu£B  sola  mansura  est.  Volcns  enim  vita)  ac  saluti  nostra)  pro  reterna 
sua  pietate  consulere,  pcenitentiam  nobis  in  ilia  circumcisione  proposuit, 
ut  si  cor  nudaverimus,  id  est,  si  peccata  nostra  confessi  satis  Deo  fece- 
rimus,  veniam  conscquamur;  quce  contumacibus  et  admissa  sua  celan- 
tibus  denogatur  ab  eo,  qui  non  faciem,  sicut  homo,  sed  intima  et 
arcana  pectoris  intuetur. — Lactant.  Instit.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  17.  Lugd. 
Bat.  1660,  p.  406.] 

[1  ecclesiastico,  Lat, ;  ecclesiastical,  ed.  1577.] 

[2  Pascha,  Lat.] 

[3  Earn  (i.  o.  vocem  Trdcrxcd  quidam  patrum  a  voce  naaxeiv  pad 
derivarunt.     Sclileusner.  Lex.  in  voc] 

[^  HDS  Passed,  stood,  over  for  defence.    Lee's  llebr.  Lex.  in  voc] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  179 

pass  over  that  door,  and  will  not  suffer  the  destroyer  to  come 
within  your  houses,"  This  sacrament  is  known  also  and  called 
by  other  names.  For  it  is  called  a  sign,  a  remembrance,  a 
solemnity,  an  holy  assembly^  the  feast  of  the  Lord,  a  worship, 
an  observation,  an  oblation,  and  a  sacrifice.  But  whereas 
that  ceremony  is  called  a  passing  over,  that  is  not  done  without 
a  trope.  For  the  passing  over  was  the  very  benefit,  wherein 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  did  pass  over  the  Jews,  leave  their 
houses  untouched,  and  save  their  lives ;  but  for  because  the 
paschal  lamb  was  a  memorial  and  a  renewing  of  that  benefit, 
therefore  it  took  the  name  of  the  benefit :  even  as  I  admon- 
ished you  before^,  that  it  is  usual  in  sacraments  for  the  signs 
to  be  called  by  the  names  of  the  things  that  they  signify, 
because  of  the  likeness  and  mutual  proportion  that  is  betwixt 
them. 

Let  us  see  now  what  the  passover  was,  and  what  kind  of  what  the 
ceremony  did  belong  unto  it.  The  passover  was  an  holy  action,  ''^"^^^  ^^' 
ordained  by  God,  in  the  killing  and  eating  of  a  lamb ;  partly 
to  the  end  that  the  church  might  keep  in  memory  the  benefit 
which  God  did  for  them  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  '''to  be  a  testi- 
mony of  God's  good  will  toward  the  faithful,  to  be  a  type^  of 
Christ,  and  partly"  also  to  gather  all  the  partakers  thereof 
into  the  fellowship  of  one  body,  and  to  put  them  in  mind  to 
be  thankful  and  innocent. 

This  sacrament  was  first  ordained  by  God  himself,  and  not  '^ ''^  first 

«'  '  author  of 

by  man.  For  Moses  delivered  to  the  children  of  Israel  ^Xuu'e^mi 
whatsoever  he  received  at  the  Lord's  hand :  as  it  is  to  be  seen  began.''  ^"' 
at  large  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  Exodus.  And  he  instituted 
that  ceremony  even  at  that  very  time  when  he  brought  the 
Israelites  from  out  of  Egypt.  Now  since  this  ceremony  came 
first  from  God,  it  followeth  consequently,  that  all  the  passovers 
vrhich  followed,  even  until  that  passover  which  the  Lord  did 
hold  with  his  disciples  a  little  before  his  death,  were  holy  and 
divine  actions.  To  flesh  and  worldly  wisdom  many  points,  I 
may  say,  all  the  parts,  of  this  sacrament  do  seem  to  be  merely 
absurd  and  altogether  needless ;  but  faith,  which  looketh  up 
to  God,  the  author  of  this  sacrament,  hath  a  great  respect 
unto,  and  reverenceth  greatly,  all  the  mysteries  contained 

[6  nav^yvpis,  in  Lat.]  [*  p.  176.] 

[■^  deindc,  Lat.  ;  next.] 

[8  tvpum  quoque,  Lat.  ;  to  be  also  a  type.]  [^  deniquc,  Lat.] 

12—2 


180  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

therein  ^  For  even  as  God  Is  the  chief  and  most  absolute 
wisdom,  so  are  all^  his  ordinances  most  absolute  and  passing 
profitable. 

Here  now  is  noted  the  time  when  this  sacrament  was  first 
delivered  to  the  church  of  Israel ;  to  wit,  in  the  four  hundreth 
and  thirtieth  year  (counting  from  the  promise  made  to  Abra- 
ham, or  from  the  time  that  he  departed  from  his  country  first), 
which    was    the    2447th    year   from  the    beginning   of    the 
world,  791  years  after  the  general  flood ^.     The  time  is  also 
appointed  when  the  passover  should  be  holden,  to  wit,  every 
year,  in  the  month  Nisan,  which  taketh  part  of  our  INIarch  and 
TheEqui-     part  of  April.     Moreover,  the  very  day  is  named,  that  is,  the 
whei^he      fourteenth  of  the  month,  beginning  their  account  at  spring 
nfgVtisboth  time's  equinoctial.     For  on  the  tenth  day  they  chose  the  lamb 

of  one  length,  ^  ,  ..  . 

and  cometh    tj^^t  should  bo  eatou,  and  on  the  fourteenth  day  they  killed  it. 

twice  in  a  '  "^  "^  . 

the8th°of'''  There  is  also  set  down  the  hour  of  the  day  when  it  should 
themh""/  be  slaughtered :  that  was,  about  eventide*,  to  wit,  betwixt  three 
Th'e°jews  and  fivc  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon,  according  to  the  course 
rickonfrom  of  our  dials;  aud,  as  the  Jews  were  wont  to  reckon  the  hours 

one  to  twelve,      „     ,  ■,  .  11-1111  •  •  ii  111 

as  we  begin    of  the  dav,  it  was  to  be  killed  betwixt  nine  and  eleven  o  clock. 

to  reckon  .     , 

from  seven    ^^(j  [j^  ^liat  killing  of  the  lamb  at  eventide  did  this  meaning 

in  the  morn-  O  o 

l"  mght'^and  l^^  hid,  that  Christ  should  be  slain  in  the  latter  days  of  the 
thitour'  world  ;  yea,  the  very  hour  and  moment,  wherein  Christ  should 
wasnuie"''''  die,  was  therein  foretold :  for  he  gave  up  the  ghost  about 
them,  an'd  tho  ninth  hour.  Whereupon  St  Peter  saith,  that  the  prophets 
eleven  to  did  scarch  at  what  moment,  or  minute  of  time,  the  Spirit  of 
hour"of  the    Christ,  which  was  in  them,  did  signify  that  Christ  should  come 


afternoon  to 


[1  omnia,  Lat. ;  all  things  in  it.] 

[2  omnia  et  singula,  Lat ;  all  and  every  one  of.] 

[3  According  to  Abp.  Usher  the  Passover  was  instituted,  as  Bul- 
linger  also  says,  430  years  after  Abraham's  call,  Gen.  xii.,  but  a.m.  2513, 
and  857  years  after  the  deluge.  But  see  Bullinger's  Treatise,  The  Old 
Faith,  in  Covcrdale's  Fruitful  Lessons,  &c.  p.  36.] 

[■*  inter  vesperas,  Lat. ;  between  the  two  evenings.  Marg.  Auth. 
Ver.  Exod.  xii.  6] 

[5  1  Pet.  i.  11.  Bullinger  has  adopted  the  translation,  not  of  the 
Vulgate,  but  of  Erasmus  : — scrutantcs  ad  qucm  aut  cujusmodi  temporis 
articulum  significaret  qui  in  illis  erat  Spiritus  Christi:  where  also 
Erasmus  notes;  Nee  est  tenipus,  quod  Grrcci  vocant  xpovov,  sed  Kaipov, 
quod  articulum  vertimus:  est  enim  certius  quiddam  quam  tenipus. 
Calvin  similarly  understands  the  apostle's  phrase :  prophetas  scrutatos 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  181 

Furthermore,  there  was  a  certain  appointed  place  assigned  The  pUce 

J        ii  •  a         T        T-i  ,  •!  ,  1.  ,  .      ,        appointed 

to  this  sacrament".      In  Egypt,  verily,   they   did  eat  it  by  f-^^he 

^  0,1  1    '  J  '  J  J    eating  of  the 

companies  here  and  there  in  several  houses.  But  when  they  p^^^"- 
were  once  come  into  the  land  of  promise,  it  was  not  lawful  to 
hold  passover  in  any  place  but  at  the  tabernacle  of  appoint- 
ment ;  and  after  that,  at  the  the  temple  in  Ilierusalem.  Being 
divided  therefore  into  several  houses  at  Hierusalem,  they  did 
eat  it  by  companies,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  twenty-second 
chapter  of  St  Luke's  gospel.  And  that  was  a  type,  that  Luke  xxii. 
Christ,  which  was  to  be  oftered  but  once  upon  the  mount  of 
Calvary,  should  be  effectual  for  ever  to  cleanse  the  sins  of  all 
his  people. 

There  was  also  appointed,  who  they  should  be  that  should  who  were 

l_lJi  •  ^  II-  •        ^  the  guests  at 

hold  the  passover;  to  wit,  the  whole  circumcised  congrega- t^eeatj^g of 
tion  of  Israel,  being  assembled  by  houses  and  families  in  so 
great  companies  as  were  sufficient  to  eat  a  lamb^.  For  as 
Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  us  all,  so  all  sinners  (for  we  all  are 
sinners)  are  the  cause  why  Christ  our  Lord  was  offered  upon 
the  altar  of  the  cross. 

Moreover,  there  is  great  diligence^  used  in  describing  the  The  manner 

1  •  111  •!-,•  1  or  rite  of 

manner  of  killing  and  eating  the  lamb.      First,  they  chose  to  eating  the 

o  o  '  t/    ^  passover. 

themselves  this  lamb  from  among  other  lambs  and  kids  :  the 
fifth  day  after  they  cut  the  throat  thereof,  and  saved ^  the 
blood  in  a  platter,  which  with  a  bush  of  hyssop,  made  like  a 
holy-water  stick'",  they  sprinkled  upon  the  two  sides  and  upper 
posts  of  the  door.  The  lamb  itself  they  did  eat  publicly,  not 
boiled  with  water,  but  roasted  with  fire ;  and  that  whole  also, 
I  mean,  both  head  and  feet,  and  purtcnancc  too ;  and  with  it 
they  did  eat  lettuce  or  sour  herbs,  and  unleavened  bread. 
And  while  they  were  at  it,  they  stood  about  it  with  their 
loins  girded,  with  shoes  on  their  feet,  and  staves  in  their  hands. 
They  did  eat  it  in  haste :  they  neither  brake  nor  cast  a  bone 

esse  quo  teniporis  articulo  advenerit  Cbristi  regnum.  Comment,  in 
loc.  cit.] 

[6  huic  sacro,  Lat.] 

[■^  Exod.  xii.  43 — 49. — (j)paTpia  -nepi  (Ka(TTr]v  yiverai  Bvcrlav,  (rov 
rititrxa)  ovK  fXaaa-ov  dvdptHv  8(Ka — TroXXot  Se  koi  <tvv  tiKoaiv  aOpol^ovrai. 
Joseph,  do  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  vi.  cap.  0.  §  3.] 

[8  multa  fide  ct  diligentia,  Lat. ;  great  faithfulness  and  diligence.] 

[9  excipiebant,  Lat. ;  received.] 

[1'^  aspergillo  hysopi,  Lat.] 


182 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


The  end 
whereto  this 
ceremony 
tended. 


The  Lord's 
benefit  was 
kept  in 
memory  by 
the  eating 
of  the 
passover. 


[Exod.  xi 
26,  27.] 


The  testi- 
mony of 
Uoil's  good 
will  towards 
his  people. 


of  it  unto  the  dogs,  but  burnt  the  bones  with  fire.  From 
evening  until  morning  no  man  did  set  one  foot  out  of  doors. 

All  these  ceremonies  had  their  ends  whereunto  they  tended, 
contained  great  mysteries,  and  bare  a  very  evident  significa- 
tion of  things  past,  things  present,  and  things  to  come.  They 
did  also  join  the  whole  congregation,  or  Jewish  church,  into 
one  body  and  profession  of  one  religion ;  and  did  also  warn 
all  those  that  did  eat  of  the  lamb  to  be  thankful  to  God,  and 
zealous  in  religion  :  as  I  will  by  parts  touch,  and  teach  you  as 
briefly  as  I  can. 

For,  first  of  all,  the  Lord's  will  was  to  keep  in  memory, 
and  as  it  were  for  ever  to  prolong  the  remembrance  of  that 
great  benefit,  which  he  did  once  for  his  people  of  Israel',  in 
preserving  marvellously  his  chosen  flock,  when  he  slew  in  one 
night  all  the  first-born  of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  next  day 
after  led  his  elect  from  out  of  Egypt,  where  they  had  a  long 
time  sustained  great  misery  in  bondage.  This  benefit  he 
would  not  have  only  to  be  preached  by  word  of  mouth  (for  it 
is  certainly  sure,  that  in  that  feast  were  made  most  effectual 
sermons  touching  God's  benefits  and  grace  shewed  to  their 
fathers) ;  but  would  have  them  also  laid  before  their  eyes  by  an 
holy  action  and  ceremony,  as  it  were  by  a  looking-glass  and 
lively  picture,  even  as  though  their  deed  were  newly  in  doing 
again  before  their  faces.  For  the  visible  action  did,  after  a 
sort,  make  a  sermon  to  their  eyes  and  other  senses.  Where- 
fore Moses,  when  he  did  interpret  the  ceremony  and  holy 
action,  did  say :  "  When  your  children  shall  say  unto  you. 
What  meaneth  this  worship  of  yours  ?  ye  shall  say  unto  them. 
This  sacrifice  is  the  passing  over  of  the  Lord,  who  passed  over 
the  houses  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  when  he  slew 
the  Egyptians,  and  delivered  our  houses," 

But  this  ceremony  was  the  signification  of  a  thing  already 
past :  and  therefore  it  should  have  little  availed  that  age  of 
man  which  followed,  to  celebrate  a  benefit  which  did  nothing 
at  all  belong  unto  them,  unless  the  Lord  had  applied  it  to 
every  age  and  season.  God  therefore  would  have  this  to  be 
a  testimony  to  the  posterity  of  his  favour,  goodness,  and  per- 
petual assistance 2;  to  put  them  in  mind,  that  he  was  not  only 
the  God  of  their  fathers  and  ancestors,  but  that  he  would  bo 

[1  in  yE^ypto,  Lat. ;  in  Egypt.] 
[2  libcrationis  pcrpeture,  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE     CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    OOD,  183 

the  God  of  all  the  posterity  of  the  Isrcaelites;  that  he  would 
bear  with  and  spare  them  for  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  finally, 
that  he  both  would  and  could  defend  them  from  all  evil,  and 
bestow  upon  them  all  good  and  fatherly  blessings.  For  in 
the  136th  Psalm  we  read:  "O  praise  the  Lord,  for  he  is 
good,  because  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever :  which  struck 
the  first-born  of  the  Egyptians;  for  his  mercy  endureth 
for  ever :  with  a  strong  hand  and  a  stretched  out  arm ; 
for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever^."  Besides  the  remem- 
brance, therefore,  of  the  benefit  which  God  did  for  their 
fathers,  the  posterity  did  by  the  use  of  that  ceremony  stir  up 
their  faith,  to  believe  that  God  would  have  mercy  on  and  do 
good  for  them  according  to  his  natural  goodness,  even  as  he 
did  to  their  fathers  before  them.  And  by  that  means  this 
ceremony  was  no  small  exercise  of  faith  in  the  children  of 
Israel. 

Furthermore,  those  ceremonies  did  contain  the  mysteries,  me  iamb 
that   were  to  come,   of  Christ,  the  Saviour   of  us   all.     For  ofchristrof 

•  /»  T  1  /^^      •  Till  1  1        ^'^  passion 

in  them   was  prefigured    what    Christ    should   be,   what  he  and  redemp- 
should  do  for  the  world,  by   what  means  the  faithful  should 
be  partakers  with  him,  and  how  they  should  behave  them- 
selves before  him.     For  among  many  other  beasts  there  was 
none  thought  to  be  more  fit  for  this  sacrament  than  a  lamb ; 
not  so*  much  for  the  signification  of  simplicity  and  patience 
that  was  in  Christ,  like  to    the  quietness  of  a  lamb,  as  for 
because  a  lamb  was  the   daily  sacrifice  that  was  ofi'ered  to 
the  Lord^.      For  Paul  saith  :  "  Christ  our  paschal  Lamb  is  Li  cor.  v.  7.] 
offered  up."      And  a  lamb  by  the  law  was  every  morning  fj^'^^f  •,'"''''• 
and  evening  offered  up  in  sacrifice.      For  Christ  is  the  Lamb  [Uev.xui.s.] 
that  was  killed  since  the  beginning  of  the  world ;   of  whom 
John  Baptist  testified,  saying,  "  Behold  the   Lamb  of  God, 
that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world  ^."     And  for  because 
we  all  did  go  astray  like  sheep,  every  one  after  his  own  way, 
the  Son  of  God  came  down  unto  us,  and  became  a  sheep,  of 
our  very  substance  and  nature.      But  yet  he**  was  sound  and 
without  spot,  without  sin  and  wickedness ;   conceived  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  born  of  the  virgin  Mary.     He  was  a  male, 

[3  verses  1,  10, 12.    The  eleventh  verso  is  also  quoted  in  the  Latin.] 

[•1  quam  quod  victima  est,  Lat.] 

[5  John  i.  29.   peccatum  mundi,  Lat.] 

[<5  hie  noster,  Lat.] 


184  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

and  of  a  year  old ;  that  is  to  say,  strong,  and  all  one,  the 
same  to-day  that  he  was  yesterday,  and  the  same  for  ever,  to 
wit,  the  Saviour  of  all  the  world'.  The  ceremonial  lamb  was 
chosen  and  taken  from  among  other  lambs  and  goats :  for 
Christ  descended  lineally  of  righteous  men  and  sinners  ;  as  is 
to  be  seen  in  the  first  chapter  of  Matthew's  Gospel.  Like- 
wise, for  the  shedding  of  the  lamb's  blood  God  did  bear 
with  the  whole  church  of  the  Israelites :  for  the  blood  of 
Christ  (whereof 2  the  lamb's  blood  was  a  type)  was  to  be  shed, 
that  by  it^  all  the  faithful  might  be  cleansed,  and  that  by  the 
shedding  of  that  the  anger  of  God  the  Father  might  be  ap- 
peased, and  he  reconciled  again  unto  the  church'*.  The  blood 
was  sprinkled  upon  the  upper  and  two  side-posts  of  the 
house  with  a  bunch  of  hyssop.  Hyssop,  verily,  is  a  base 
herb  and  of  small  account ;  and  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
seemeth  to  be  foolish,  vile,  and  of  no  value  :  and  yet  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  the  blood  of  Christ  unto  the  re- 
mission of  sins  must  be  sprinkled^  on  us  which  are  the  house 
of  God.  Now  we  receive  the  Lamb  to  life,  when  we  do  eat, 
that  is,  when  we  believe  that  Christ  did  suffer  for  us :  for 
Christ  is  eaten  by  faith,  as  it  is  at  large  declared^  in  the  sixth 
chapter  of  St  John.  The  lamb  is  dressed  with  fire,  and  not  with 
water :  it  is  not  eaten  raw,  but  roasted.  For  Christ  was 
not  man  alone,  but  very  God  also,  the  true  burnt- offering. 
He  is  able  fully  to  absolve  us,  so  that  there  needs  no  ad- 
dition of  ours  :  all  our  additions  are  mere  water,  and  alto- 
gether cold.  Moreover,  the  whole  Lamb  was  to  be  eaten ; 
the  head,  the  feet,  and  purtenance :  for  unless  we  believe 
that  Christ  is  very  God  and  very  man,  and  that  he  is  our 
wisdom  and  righteousness,  we  do  not  eat  him  wholly.  They 
eat  not  the  head,  which  deny  that  Christ  is  God  :  they  eat 
not  the  feet,  which  do  deny  that  Christ  is  man :  they  eat 
not  the  purtenance,  which  do  not  acknowledge  the  gifts  that 
are  in  Christ,  which  he  doth  communicate  unto  the  faithful, 
to  wit,  righteousness,  wisdom,  sanctification,  redemption,  and 
life.  The  bones  of  the  Lamb  were  neither  broken  nor 
thrown  to  the  dogs,  but  burnt  with  fire  :  for  in  Christ  there 

[1  univorsi  orbis,  Lat.]  p  whereof— a  type,  not  in  Lat.] 

[3  ejus  sanguine,  Lat. ;  by  his  blood.] 

[•*  toti  ccclesiop,  Lat.]  [^  aspergi  sive  praidicari,  Lat.] 

[6  ipso  fuse  exponit,  Lat. ;  he  him.'>elf  at  lai-gc  declares.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  185 

was  not  one  bone  broken ;  as  the  apostle  John  beareth  wit- 
ness in  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  his  gospel.  Herein  also  lieth  John  xix. 
hid  another'  mystery.  For  although  the  Son  of  God  did 
suffer^  in  his  humanity,  yet  in  his  divinity  he  remained  still 
without  any  passion.  Now  the  things  in  Christ,  which  we 
cannot  attain  unto  by  reason  of  the  excellency  of  his  God- 
head, we  do^  earnestly  wish  for  and  greatly  desire.  More- 
over, Christ  is  the  meat  of  the  reasonable  and  faithful  soul, 
and  is  not  to  be  cast  to  dogs  and  unbelieving  miscreants'**. 
The  Lamb  was  to  be  eaten  in  haste,  without  delay  :  for 
Christ  must  be  eaten  by  faith,  out  of  hand,  without  foading 
off'',  and  that  too  with  a  sharp  desire  and  eager  appetite. 
AVith  the  lamb  they  were  commanded  to  eat  sour  herbs 
and  unleavened  bread  :  for  the  faithful  must  repent  them 
of  their  life'-  ill-spent,  and  wholly  betake  themselves  to  a 
purer  trade  of  living.  For  here  followeth'^  the  manner  how 
they  ought  to  behave  themselves  toward  their  Redeemer. 
They  stood  to  eat  the  lamb,  having  their'*  loins  girded,  with 
shoes  on  their  feet,  and  staves  in  their  hands.  Such  was  the 
habit  of  wayfaring  men,  or  pilgrims.  We  therefore  must  so 
behave  ourselves  in  this  present  world,  as  doth  become  pil- 
grims and  strangers,  which  do  contemn  this  world,  and  look 
for  another  country.  In  their  journey,  therefore,  let  them 
give  themselves  to  temperate  modesty  ;  let  their  feet  be  shod 
with  the  preaching  of '^  the  gospel  of  peace ;  let  them  wholly 
lean  upon  the  staff  of  God's  aid  and  succour ;  and  let  them 
depart  with  as  much  haste  as  may  be  from  the  bondage  and 
corruption  of  this  naughty  world '^. 

This  very  same  ceremony  was,  as  it  were,  a  confession  of  The  badge 
the  true  rehgion,  and  as  a   cognisance,  whereby   the  people  sion  oTfaUh. 
of  God  were  known  from  other  people  and  nations.      There- 
fore all  the  Israelites  were  gathered  together  into  one  church 
and  society  :  wherein,  by  celebrating  of  the  passover,  they 

[7  prseterea,  Lat.] 

[8  in  60  quod  pati  potuit,  Lat.  omitted;  in  that  which  could  suffer.] 

[9  merito,  Lat.  omitted ;  we  do  justly.] 

[10  impiis,  Lat.]  [n  See  p.  38,  note  3.] 

[12  prajteritaj,  Lat. ;  past.] 

[13  copiosius,  Lat.  omitted  ;  more  at  length.] 

[n  rcnibus  vel,  Lat.  ;  their  reins  or.] 

[15  Eph.  vi.  15. — ike  preaching  of,  not  in  the  original.] 

[16  hujus  seculi,  Lat.] 


186  THE    THIRD    DECADE,  [sERM. 

did  profess  that  they  were  the  redeemed,  the  libertines',  and 
the  people  of  the  living  God.  For  thereunto  belongeth  the 
commandment  which  charged  them  that  no  stranger  should 
eat  of  the  lamb,  but  that  the  circumcised  alone  should  be 
partakers  of  it ;  that  it  should  not  be  divided  into  many 
Atthetaber-  parts;  that  it  should  be  eaten  nowhere  but  in  one  place  alone, 

nacle  first,        ^  •/>iiitto  jii 

anrt^after-     aud  that  too  by  companies  of  all  the  Israelites^  ;  and  lastly, 

temple.        ^hat  uo  man  should  once  set  a  foot  out  of  doors  until  the  next 

morning.      By  which  thing  it  is  given  us  to  understand,  that 

neither  Christ,  nor  our  salvation,  is  to  be  found  without  the 

church,  in  the  sects  or  schisms  of  wicked  heretics.      Christ, 

the  Lamb  of  God,  doth  gather  all  the  faithful  into  one  church, 

wherein  he  keepeth  them,  and  lastly  doth  save  them. 

The  paschal  Last  of  all,  this  cercmony  did  put  God's  people  in  mind 

warn  the      of  their   dutv,   of  thankfulness   especially^,   of  the  study  of 

comrnuni-  ''  '  .  ^  ''  j- j         • 

^a'ljs^of  their  godliness  and  harmless  innocence.  They  therefore  did  give 
thanks  to  God  for  these  and  all  other  his  benefits ;  they  praised 
his  name ;  and  did  utterly  abstain  from  all  leavened  bread. 
For  ye  shall  find  nothing  so  severely  forbidden  in  this  cere- 

Exod.xii.  mony  as  the  eating  of  leavened  bread.  "  Whosoever  eateth 
leavened  bread,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  his  soul  shall  perish  from 
among  the  congregation  of  Israel,  whether  he  be  a  stranger, 
or  an  Israelite  born."  The  same  saying  is  afterward  often- 
times repeated,  and  throughly  beaten  into  their  brains.  Now 
the  apostle  Paul,  whose  cunning  and  learning  was  much  in 
the  law  of  Moses,  expounding  what  was  meant  by  the  lea- 
vened bread,  doth  say  :  "  Therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not 
in  the  old  leaven,  nor  in  the  leaven  of  malice  and  unright- 
eousness^  but  in  unleavened  bread,  that  is,  in  sincerity  and 
truth ^."  Thus  much  hitherto  touching  the  eating  of  the  pas- 
chal lamb. 

To  these  sacraments  were  also  added  sacrifices  of  sundry 

rst begin-  sorts  and  many  kinds:  which  were  not  first  invented  and 
taught  by  Moses,  but  were  taken  up  and  used  immediately 
after  the  world  was  created.  For  Cain  and  Abel  oftered 
burnt  sacrifices  to  God  the  maker  of  the  world :  the  one,  of 

[1  libcrtos,  Lat. ;  freed  men.]  [2  ab  universe  Israele,  Lat.] 

[3  gratitudinis    prcesertim    et,  Lat. ;    especially   of  thankfulness, 
and,  &c.] 

[•*  versutise,  Lat.] 

[5  1  Cor.  V.  8,  Erasmus'  rendering.] 


b.] 


Of  sacrifices, 
and  tlieir 


nings. 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  187 

the  fruits  of  the  earth ;  and  the  other,  of  the  cattle  that  was 
in  his  flock.  Likewise  Seth,  Noah,  Scm,  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  with  all  the  other  patriarchs,  are  known^  to  have 
sacrificed  unto  the  Lord.  Now  since  the  heathenish  sacrifices 
of  the  Gentiles,  as  the  very  heathen  writers  themselves  did 
testify,  were  partly  like  unto,  and  in  many  points  all  one  with, 
the  Jewish  sacrifices;  it  is  not  unlikely  but  that  the  grand 
patriarchs''  of  the  Gentiles  did  teach  every  one  his  own  nation 
the  manner  of  sacrificing,  which  they  had  learned  of  their 
forefathers,  Sem,  Cham,  Japhet,  and  of  the  holy  patriarch 
Noah  himself.  But  it  is  undoubtedly  certain,  that  the  holy 
fathers  did  bring  in  nothing  of  their  own  invention,  nor  add 
any  thing  to  the  sacrifices  more  than  they  had  received  and 
learned  of  God,  who  is  the  author  of  all  goodness ;  although 
Moses  did  more  precisely  distinguish  and  certainly  order  the 
sorts,  the  kinds,  and  differences  betwixt  sacrifice  and  sacrifice : 
and  yet  whatsoever  he  did,  that  did  he  at  the  Lord's  appoint- 
ment. God  instructed  Moses  in  all  that  he  did.  For  the 
book  of  Leviticus,  wherein  are  specially  described  all  the 
kinds  of  sacrifices,  doth  immediately  after  the  very  beginning 
testify,  that  Moses  was  called  by  God,  and  that  he  learned 
of  the  Lord  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  sacrifices  which  he 
commanded  the  Israelites  to  keep.  And  in  the  seventh 
chapter  of  the  book  of  Numbers  we  read:  "And  when  Moses  Num.  vh. 
came  into  the  tabernacle  of  appointment,  he  heard  the  voice 
of  God  speaking  unto  him  out  of  the  mercy-seat." 

Now,  as  I  was  about  to  say,  there  were  divers  sacrifices  sun-  sacrifices 
drily  diff'ering  in  many  points  among  themselves,  and  yet  having  thi'ngfco.n- 
many  things  common  and  general  one  with  another.     It  was  some  things 
general  to  all  sacrifices,  not  to  be  offered  in  any  other  but  one 
appointed  place  alone.  It  was  general  to  all  sacrifices,  that  they 
ought  of  duty  to  be  offered  by  faith,  according  as  they  were 
taught  by  the  word  of  God.  It  was  general  to  all  sacrifices,  to  be 
made  according  to  the  Lord's  commandment,  with  holy  fire,  and 
not  with  strange  fire,  or  fire  profanely  kindled.     Nadab  and 
Abihu,  the  sons  of  Aaron,  were  slain  for  nothing  else  but  for 
because  they  used  profane  or  strange  fire  in  sacrificing  to  the 
Lord.    For  when  the  Israelites,  or  Levites,  did  first  of  all  sacri-  [Lev  ix.24.] 
ficc,  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  them,  in  the  tabernacle  of 
[0  crcduntur,  Lat.]  ["  gcnearchas,  Lat.] 


188  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

appointment,  then  did  God,  by  sending  fire  from  heaven,  give 
a  token  that  he  did  Hke  of  that  manner  of  sacrifice.  Where- 
upon in  the  sixth  of  Leviticus  the  priests  are  charged  to 
maintain  or  keep  the  holy  fire  always  burning,  first  in  the 
tabernacle,  and  then  in  the  temple :  which  thing  it  is  manifest 
The  vestal  that  the  heathen  did  imitate,  in  commanding  the  vestal  virgins 
cr"a"ed  tS\he  ^^  R-ome  always  to  keep  the  holy  fire  burning.  By  this 
^e^  perpetual  fire  is  meant  the  perpetual  working  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  the  church  of  Christ ;  which  must  be  kept  quick  and 
stirred  up  in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful  with  fervent  prayers, 
with  the  sincere  doctrine  of  the  Lord,  and  with  the  right  use 
of  the  holy  sacraments.  It  was  also  general  to  all  sacrifices, 
that  in  them  neither  wild  nor  unclean  beasts  were  offered  to 
the  Lord.  Moreover,  this  general  rule  of  sacrifices  is  given 
by  Moses  in  the  twenty-second  chapter  of  Leviticus,  saying : 
"  Let  no  deformity  be  in  the  thing  that  thou  shalt  offer :  if 
it  be  blind,  or  lame,  or  maimed;  if  it  have  pushes ^  or  scabs, 
or  tetter^,  ye  shall  not  offer  it  unto  the  Lord,  neither  shall  ye 
put  ought  of  it  upon  his  altar."  Verily,  if  any  man  had 
brought  a  deformed  oblation  unto  the  Lord,  he  shewed  him- 
self plainly  to  be  a  contemner,  and  utterly  unthankful  toward 
his  maker.  And  therefore  the  Lord  in  Malachi  crieth 
[Mai.  i.e.]  out,  and  saith  :  "When  ye  bring  the  blind  for  sacrifice,  do 
ye  not  sin?  and  when  ye  bring  the  lame  and  sick,  do 
ye  not  sin?  Offer  it  now,  I  pray  thee,  to  thy  prince  or 
captain ;  will  he  be  content  with  it  ?  or  will  he  accept  thy 
person  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  And  so  I  say.  My  name  is 
in  contempt  and  of  no  estimation  among  you."  The  just  and 
true  God,  therefore,  doth  at  all  times  require  truth,  liber- 
ality, sincerity,  and  integrity  in  them  that  worship  him  ;  and 
on  the  other  side,  he  abhoreth  and  utterly  detesteth  unclean- 
liness,  lying,  and  hypocrisy. 

There  are  certain  other  things  also,  which  be  generally 
common  to  all  sorts  of  sacrifices :  but  I  will  not  at  this  time 
make  particular  rehearsal  of  every  several  jot  or  minute.  But 
■what  peculiarities  every  sundry  sacrifice  hath,  it  "will  evi- 
dently appear  in  the  exposition  of  their  sundry  sorts  :  which 
I  will  now  speak  of  in  order  as  they  lie. 

[1  push,  a  pimple,  an  eruption.     Johnson's  Diet.] 
[2  tetter,  a  scab ;  a  scurf;  a  ringworm.  Ibid.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  189 

First  of  all,  I  "will  expound  to  you  that  kind  of  sacrifice  iroiocaus- 
which  in  the  scripture  is  called  Holocaustum^      That  sacrifice  bumt-cJfler. 
■was  wholly  consumed  with  fire,  so  that  nothing  but  the  skin 
or  hide  of  the  beast  was  left  for  the  priest.     The  word  is 
derived  of  the  Greek  :  for  it  is  called  holocaustum,  as  one 
should  say  o\ov  kuvotov,  that  is,  wholly  burnt  or  consumed 
with  fire"*.     This  sacrifice  was  of  three  kinds  :   I  mean,  it  was 
made  after  three  sorts,  to  wit,  with  greater,  with  little,  and 
with  less,  Uving  creatures;  namely,  with  an  ox,  a  bullock,  or  a 
calf;  or,  if  any  man's  ability  were  not  sufficient  to  stretch  to 
that  expense,  then  did  he  offer  a  lamb,  or  a  kid  :  and  yet  again, 
if  he  could  not  offer  that  by  reason  of  his  poverty,  it  was 
lawful    for  him  to   sacrifice   birds,   not  geese,  or  cocks,  or 
other  unclean  fowls,  but  turtles,  and  doves,  and  such  kind  of  [Lev.  i.] 
clean  birds. 

Now  the  manner  of  making  this  burnt  sacrifice  was  in  this 
order.  The  beast,  that  was  to  be  offered,  was  placed  at  the 
one  side  of  the  altar ;  upon  which  the  priest  did  presently  lay 
his  hands,  and  cut  the  throat  of  it.  The  blood  was  saved,  to 
be  sprinkled  round  about  the  altar ;  the  skin  was  flayed  from 
the  slaughtered  beast,  and  that  alone  was  all  the  fees  that 
fell  to  the  portion  or  share  of  the  priest :  the  legs  were 
chopped  off,  and  washed  together  with  the  purtenance.  Im- 
mediately after,  a  fire  was  made  upon  the  altar,  whereupon 
was  laid  the  whole  sacrifice,  to  wit,  the  head,  the  body,  the 
legs,  and  the  purtenance,  and  were  altogether  burnt  upon  the 
altar  before  the  Lord.  But  if  so  be  it  happened  that  a 
turtle  or  a  dove  were  offered  for  a  sacrifice,  then  did  the 
priest  with  his  finger  wreath  about  and  break  the  neck 
thereof,  and  the  blood  was  let  drop  about  the  sides  of  the 
altar.  The  feathers  also  were  cast  at  the  one  side  of  the 
altar  into  a  place  where  ashes  lay  ;  the  wings  were  jointed  ; 
and  last  of  all,  the  whole  body  was  burnt  upon  the  altar. 
This  was  the  manner  of  the  sacrifice,  or  oblation,  which  they 
did  commonly  call  a  burnt-offering  :  the  signification  whereof 
was  most  cheerful  and  pleasant  to  them  which  were  per- 
suaded, that  by  burnt-offering  was  prefigured  the  very  Son 
of  God,  to  be  incarnate  of  the  unspotted  virgin,  and  to  be 

[■*  The  con-esponding  Hebrew  name   is    ^"•73.      Deut.  xxxiii.  10. 
Ps.  li.  19.] 


190  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

sacrificed  once  for  the  cleasning  of  all  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world.  For  they  in  the  glass  of  that  sacrifice  did  behold  the 
cross  and  passion  of  the  Lord,  which  took  our  sins  upon  him- 
self^  and,  being  slain,  did  shed  his  blood  for  the  remission  of 
sins,  offering  himself  wholly  to  God  the  Father  in  the  fire  of 
charity  and  heavenly  zeal.  The  very  same  Christ  is  the 
turtle  or  pigeon. 

Moreover,  beside  these  ceremonies  in  the  burnt  sacrifice,  it 
was  required  that  no  burnt  sacrifice  of  beasts  should  at  any 
time  be  made  without  that  kind  of  offering  which  they  called 
minha^.  That  oblation  was  an  handful  of  corn,  or  of  meal,  or 
else  of  crusty  bread  sodden  in  a  caldron,  or  a  bowed^  piece 
of  bread  (which  we  call  a  cracknel)  baked  in  an  oven  or  in 
a  frying-pan,  which  was  burnt  with  oil  and  frankincense  upon 
the  altar  of  burnt  sacrifices.    And  Christ,  verily,  is  the  bread 

[Heb.  ix.  14.]  of  life,  who  by  the  eternal  Spirit,  as  saith  the  apostle,  did  offer 
himself  to  God  the  Father  for  us,  to  be  the  meat  and  preser- 
vation of  our  life. 

Thedaiiy  lu  tho  number  of  burnt  sacrifices  are  reckoned  the  daily 

sacrifices  that  were  offered  every  morning  and  every  even- 
ing, and  the  sacrifices  of  the  anointing  or  consecrating  of 
priests.  Of  the  daily  sacrifice  a  large  exposition  is  made  in 
the  twenty-ninth  of  Exodus  and  the  sixth  chapter  of  Levi- 
ticus. It  was  called  the  daily  offering,  because  every  morn- 
ing and  evening  two  lambs  were  offered,  to  wit,  one  in 
the  morning,  and  another  at  the  evening.  In  these  lambs 
was  Christ  most  manifestly  prefigured ;  who  is  that  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world ;  whose  virtue 
is  always  effectual  and  of  power  to  take  away  the  sins  of  the 
faithful.  For  the  Lamb"*  was  killed  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world ;  he  was  once  slain  upon  the  cross :  but  yet  his 
merit  and  eftectual  power  endurcth  still,  and  doth  absolve  all 
them  that  are  delivered  from  their  sins. 

[1  Omitted:  "for  to  this  pertainetli  the  laying  on  of  hands,  which 
was  a  sign  of  communion."  Hue  cnim  pertinet  maximo  manuum  im- 
positio,  qure  communionis  erat  symbolum."  P.] 

[^  nrop,  a  gift  to  God  in  sacrifice, — generally  unbloody,  and  con- 
sisting of  various  fruits,  flour,  oil,  &c.  opp.  tw  HUT.  Leo's  Heb.  Lex. 
in  voc] 

[3  bowed :  bent.] 

[*  that  Lamb,  cd.  1577 ;  agnus  illo,  Lat.] 


VI  ]  THE     CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF     GOD.  191 

Now  the  sacrifices  of  consecrating,  I  mean,  of  the  priests, 
of  the  tabernacle,  and  of  all  the  vessels  or  instruments  be- 
longing to  the  holy  ministerj,  are  in  many  points  all  one 
with  the  burnt-offerings,  and  in  some  things  differing  from 
them :  as  is  fully  to  be  seen  in  the  twenty-ninth  of  Exodus 
and  the  eighth  of  Leviticus.  And  Christ  our  Lord  did  first 
begin  the  priesthood  by  his  passion,  and  after  that  hallowed 
all  the  faithful  to  be  priests  unto  himself. 

The  second  kind  of  sacrifices  was  the  oblation,  which  they  The  meat- 
called  minlia;  a  gift,  reward,  or  sacrifice  of  a  whcaten  cake;"  '^""^" 
and  by  another  name  was  called  a  meat-offering^.  This  sacri- 
fice was  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  was  not  offered  always 
after  one  sort:  for  there  are  reckoned  three  kinds  of  this 
sacrifice.  For  there  was  offered  cither  parched  wheat,  stick- 
ing in  the  ears ;  or  wheat  out  of  the  ears,  or  else  clean  meal, 
unbaked ;  or,  at  leastwise,  meal  made  up  into  bread ;  which 
bread  again  was  made  three  sundry  ways,  and  in  three  sundry 
fashions.  For  either  it  was  baked  in  an  oven,  or  furnace ;  or 
else  sod  in  a  pot,  or  a  caldron ;  or  else  fried  in  a  frying- 
pan,  like  unto  cakes.  To  these  there  was  added,  as  sauce  to 
the  sacrifice,  salt,  oil,  and  frankincense.  Honey  and  leaven 
■were  by  a  general  rule  utterly  barred  from  all  sorts  of  sacri- 
fices. For  cakes  made  with  honey  were  never  allowed  of,  nor 
admitted  in  their  offerings  :  yet  in  the  feast  of  thanksgiving 
they  did  eat  leavened  bread.  Therefore,  when  any  man  did 
offer  wheat,  it  was  first  anointed  by  the  priest  with  oil,  then 
seasoned  with  salt,  and  last  of  all  had  frankincense  put  upon 
it :  after  that  the  priest  took  one  handful  from  out  of  all  (but 
in  the  sacrifice  for  the  priest  all  was  burnt),  and  burnt  it  upon 
the  altar ;  the  rest  he  did  reserve,  as  a  share  to  himself.  [Lev.  vi.  23.] 
And  in  all  meat-offerings  frankincense  was  always  used,  except 
in  the  sacrifice  for  sin  and  in  the  sacrifice  of  jealousy  ;  as  is 
to  be  seen  in  the  fifth  of  Leviticus  and  the  fifth  of  the  book 
of  Numbers.  The  rest  that  belongeth  to  the  full  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  the  meat-offerings  whosoever  is  desirous  to 
know,  he  shall  find  them  in  the  second  chapter  of  Leviticus. 
For  I  mean  not  here  particularly  to  repeat  every  jot  and  tittle 
of  their  accustomed  ceremonies. 

Now  even  as  Christ  was  before  prefigured  in  beasts  and 
birds,  so  also  is  he  represented  in  this  bread  or  cakes.      For 
\J'  cibavium,  Lat.j 


The  drink- 
offerings. 


192  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

he  is  the  bread  of  life,  and  hath  sundry  fashions  of  infirmity 
and  glory.  In  Christ  thou  shalt  not  find  any  leaven,  that  is, 
sin,  uncharitableness,  hypocrisy,  or  pride.  There  is  in  Christ 
no  sweetness,  nor  honey-hke  taste,  of  worldly  or  wicked 
pleasures.  But  salt  thou  mayest  find  in  him,  a  well  seasoned 
temperature  altogether  heavenly,  and  most  absolute  wisdom. 
Because  of  Christ,  and  for  his  sake,  all  things  of  ours  are 
acceptable  unto  God ;  for  Christ  his  sake  our  prayers  are 
heard  of  God  the  Father :  upon  Christ,  therefore,  there  is  a 
sweet-smelling  frankincense  in  the  nose  of  God  the  Father  i. 
And  in  these  ceremonies  are  also  shadowed  the  manner  and 
matter  of  our  sacrifices ;  to  wit,  that  they  should  be  without 
hypocrisy,  bitterness,  hatred,  envy,  and  fleshly  pleasure, 
and  should  be  seasoned  with  godly  and  continual  prayers. 

With  the  meat-offerings  we  may  place  the  drink-off'erings 
also  2.  For  in  those  sacrifices  wine  was  poured  out  unto  the 
Lord,  as  is  evident  in  the  twenty-ninth  of  Exodus,  the 
twenty-third  of  Leviticus,  and  the  twenty-eighth  chapter  of 
the  book  of  Numbers.  Now  Christ  is  our  wine,  our  drink, 
and  joy  unto  eternal  life.  He  poureth  himself  into  the 
minds  of  the  godly,  that  he  may  fill  them  with  joy,  and  hve 
in  them  and  they  in  him.  And  therefore  did  he  consecrate 
in  wine  the  memory  of  his  blood  that  was  shed  for  us  to  the 
remission  of  our  sins. 

With  these  meat-offerings  may  be  joined  the  sacrifices  of 
the  first-fruits,  of  the  first-begotten,  and  of  the  tenths: 
touching  all  which  there  is  much  to  be  read  in  divers  places 
of  the  law ;  as  in  the  thirteenth  and  twenty-third  of  Exodus, 
in  the  eighteenth  of  Deuteronomy,  and  the  eighteenth  of  the 
book  of  Numbers.  Now  Christ  is  the  first-begotten  and  the 
first-fruits  of  all  the  faithful,  for  whose  worthiness  and  merit 
we  are  all  spared,  and  by  whom  we,  being  sanctified,  are 
made  the  sons  and^  heirs  of  God.  To  him,  as  to  our  Maker 
and  Redeemer,  we  owe,  as  tenths,  our  very  souls,  and  what- 
soever else  is  dear  unto  (and  good  in)  us.  ]\Ioreover,  it  is  a 
point  of  thankfulness  frankly  to  bestow  upon  God  part  of 
our  earthly  riches,  which  we  have  at  his  hands,  to  the  main- 

[1  The  Latin  is  only.  Est  ergo  thus  super  Christo.] 

[3  adeoque  et,  Lat. ;  and  so  also.] 


VI.]  THli     CEUKMONIAL     LAWS    Ol'    GOD.  193 

tenance  of  his  true  worship,  and  the  rcHcf  of  all  that  be  in 
poverty. 

The  third  kind  of  sacrifice  is  that  which  is  offered  for  The  sin- 
sin,  and  is  therefore  called  Ilattah*,  a  cleansing^,  or  Ascham^,  "  "'"'''' 
a  sacrifice  for  sin.  We  in  one  word  may  call  it  a  cleansing 
sacrificed  For  it  was  offered  for  sin  committed  unwittingly 
or  by  ignorance ;  (which  by  the  degrees  of  the  sinners  were 
divided  into  four  sorts  ;  as,  if  the  chief  priest  did  sin,  if  the 
whole  church  did  sin,  if  the  prince  did  sin,  or  if  some  man 
of  the  meaner  sort  did  sin ;)  or  else  they  did  offer  it  for  sin 
committed  willingly,  or  of  a  set  purpose,  being  yet  a  mean 
or  excusable^  sin;  or  else  for  a  great  and  heinous  crime, 
which  ignorance  could  by  no  means  excuse.  The  ceremony 
used  in  this  sacrifice  is  very  ample  and  large,  so  that  I  mean 
not  presently  once  to  touch  it^.  It  is  most  exquisitely  set 
down  in  the  fourth,  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  chapters  of  Le- 
viticus. Neither  is  it  to  be  doubted  but  that  Christ  was 
laid  before  their  eyes,  as  well  in  that  sacrifice,  as  in  all  their 
other  oblations.  For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law,  (and  the 
mark  whereto  the  ceremonial  laws  did  tend'*'.)  And  Esay  in 
the  fifty-third  chapter  of  his  prophecy  saith :  "  Whereas  he 
never  did  unrighteousness,  nor  any  dcceitfulness  was  found 
in  his  mouth ;  yet  hath  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  smite  him  with 
infirmity ;  that  when  he  had  made  his  soul  an  offering  for 
sin' V' (for  here  is  put  Dli'^f  Ascham,)  "he  might  see  seed,  and 
might  prolong  his  days,  and  that  the  advice  of  the  Lord  might 
prosper  in  his  hand."  To  this  belongeth  that  whole  disputation 
of  the  apostle  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  wherein 
he  sheweth  that  Christ  is  the  true  sacrifice  for  sin,  that 
cleanseth  all  the  church  and  the  sins  thereof'^.  In  this  cere- 
mony were  shadowed'^  the  disposition'*  of  sins'-*,  the  passions  of 
Christ,  and  the  power  and  strength  of  death' ^. 

[^  n^^;3^.]  [^  piacularc,  Lat.] 

\P  □ti'J^.]  \}  sacrificiura  expiatorium,  Lat. J 

[8  mediocri  is  Bullingei''s  ono  word  here.] 

P  adeo  ut  in  prajsenti  per  coinpendiuin  commemorarc  iion  placcat, 
Lat.] 

[10  This  sentence  between  brackets  is  an  addition  of  the  translator's.] 
[11  hostiam  dchcti,  vol  victimam  pro  culpa,  Lat.] 
[12  et  peccata  omnia,  Lat.]  [13  partial,  Lat.  omitted ;  partly.] 

[1*  ingenia,  Lat.]  [is  passionis  Christi  ct  mortis  virtus,  Lat.] 

[bULLINGEU,   II. J 


Isai.  liii. 


17-J 


194  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sEUil. 

Now  these  many  and  sundry  sacrifices,  appointed  for  sins, 
were  kept  uncertainly^,  because  they  were  wont  to  be  offered 
of  them  that  sinned  at  that  very  time  when  they  did  commit 
the  sin  :  but  the  certain,  the  yearly,  and  universal  sacrifice 
was  that  which  is  at  large  described  in  the  sixteenth  of  Le- 
viticus, and  may  be  referred  in  this  place  to  the  number  of 
cleansing  sacrifices.  For  in  the  feast  of  atonement,  upon 
the  tenth  day  of  the  seventh  month  every  year,  was  solem- 
nized the  sacrifice  of  cleansing,  or  atonement,  for  all  the  sins 
universally  of  all  the  people.  The  manner  of  this  general 
sacrifice  I  will  not  over-busily  at  this  time  describe,  since  it 
is  as  clearly  as  the  light  set  down  in  that  place  of  Leviticus 
which  even  now  I  cited ;  and  since  I,  in  expounding  the 
mystery  thereof,  do  mean  to  shew,  and  make  plain,  so  many 
shadows  in  it  as  are  needful  to  be  marked.  For  I  will  say 
somewhat  touching  the  meaning  and  mystery  thereof. 

In  that  most  pleasant  glass  was  figured  the  whole  passion, 
and  effect  of  the  passion,  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord  and  Sa- 
viour ;  which  by  that  sacrifice  was  every  year  laid  before 
the  eyes  and  renewed  to  the  minds  of  all  the  faithful  church 
of  God.  For  this  manner  of  representing  our  redemption 
and  salvation  did  please  God,  by  sacraments,  rather  than  by 
pictures,  colours,  or  by  stage-plays ;  which  are  at  this  day 
greatly  set  by,  although  scarce  godly,  by  no  small  number 
of  trifling  and  fantastical  heads". 

Now  mark,  that  the  high  priest  only  did  all  that  was  to 
be  done  in  this  solemn  sacrifice ;  save  only  that  two  ministers 
were  joined  unto  him,  the  one  to  lead  away  the  scape-goat, 
and  the  other  to  carry  out  of  the  host  the  bullock  and  he- 
goat  that  was  to  be  offered.  Yea,  charge  is  very  precisely 
given,  that  no  man  should  join  himself  to  the  high  priest, 
when  he  entercth  into  the  tabernacle,  and  maketh  an  atone- 
ment for  the  sins  of  the  people.  "  Let  no  man,"  saith  the 
Lord,  "  be  in  the  tabernacle  of  appointment,  when  he  goeth 
in  to  make  sacrifice  in  the  sanctuary,  until  he  do  come  out 
again."  For  no  man  must  be  joined  to  Christ  in  finishing 
the  work  of  our  salvation  and  redemption.      For  he  alone  is 

[1  conceptiva  crant,  Lat.] 

[^  Viz.  the  Miracle  Plays,  or  Mysteries — the  Easter  representations 
of  our  liord's  crucifixion  and  resurrection,  &c.  Brand's  Pop.  Antiq. 
Vol.  I.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  195 

the  Saviour ;  he  alone  hath  trodc  the  press,  and  he  alone  was 
crucified  for  us.  The  patriarchs,  prophets,  apostles,  martyrs, 
and  all  other  creatures,  are  utterly  excluded  from  having 
any  thanks  for  our  redemption  and  salvation.  Christ  alone 
remaineth  the  Saviour  and  Kcdceraer  of  the  world.  To  at- 
tribute our  salvation  to  creatures,  to  our  own  works  and 
our  own  merits,  is  to  admit  creatures  with  the  high  priest 
into  the  tabernacle,  and  to  incur  the  indignation,  that  is,  the 
terrible  curse,  of  the  almighty,  true,  and  everHving  God. 
For  by  the  Jewish  high  priest  is  prefigured  to  us  Christ  our 
Saviour,  who,  as  the  apostle  Paul  saith,  hath  a  priesthood, 
which  by  succession  cannot  go  from  him  to  any  other^. 

Now  Aaron  did  take  a  bullock  for  a  sin-offering,  and  a 
ram  for  a  burnt-offering,  of  his  own ;  and  of  the  people  he 
took  two  he-goats.  Therefore  Christ  our  Lord,  the  true 
and  only  priest  of  his  chm^ch,  did  offer  for  us  the  thing  that 
he  took  of  us,  to  wit,  the  substance  of  our  flesh.  There  is 
added  also,  that  Aaron,  (by  which  name  we  understand  every 
one  that  was  the  high  priest  among  the  people  of  God),  when 
he  went  about  to  sacrifice,  did  clothe  himself  with  the  usual 
and  common  garments  of  the  other  priests  (I  mean,  such  as 
the  other  priests  were  wont  to  wear),  saving  only  that  they 
were  holy  and  without  spot.  For,  although  Christ  the  Son 
of  God  did  take  our  nature  upon  him,  and  did  become  like 
unto  us,  being  clad,  as  it  were,  in  the  usual  garment  of  us 
men ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  his  fleshly  garment  (I  mean,  his 
body  that  was  like  to  ours)  was  altogether  free  from  corrup- 
tion*, and  clean  without  all  spots  of  sin. 

Aaron  did  first  of  all  kill  a  steer  for  himself  and  his 
family :  whereby  he  declared  that  he  was  not  the  very  and 
true  high  priest,  but  the  type  of  him  that  was  the  true  priest. 
For  Paul  saith:  "Our  high  priest  had  no  need,  as  those  high  [ucb.  vii. 
priests  had,  first  to  offer  sacrifices  for  their  own  sins,  and  then 
for  the  sins  of  the  people.  For  he  did  that  once,  when  he 
offered  up  himself."  Afterwards  Aaron  drew  lots  at  the  door 
of  the  tabernacle,  to  try  betwixt  the  two  goats,  which  should 
be  slain  for  the  sacrifice,  and  which  should  be  sent  away  as 

[3  Ileb.  viii.  24,  "hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood;"  anapalBaTov 
e^e'  rrjv  Upaxrvvrjv,  one  that  cannot  pass  on  to  a  successor.  See  Schleus- 
ncr.  P.] 

[*  his  fleshly — to  ours,  not  in  Lat. ;  ho  is  altogether,  &c.] 

13—2 


190  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

the  scape-goat  into  the  desert.  The  two  goats  do  signify 
Christ  our  Lord,  very  God  and  very  man,  in  two  natures 
unseparated.  He  is  slain,  and  dieth^  in  his  humanity;  but  is 
not  slain  nor  dieth  in  his  divinity.  Yet  he,  being  one  and 
the  same  Christ,  unseparated,  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
and  doth  work  the  redemption  of  us  mortal  men.  So  in  the 
(Prov.  xvi.  two  goats  -was  a  mystery  hidden.  And  for  because,  as  Solo- 
*"'■'  mon  saith,  the  lots  are  guided  by  the  Lord's  will,   it  was 

not  without  the  especial  will  of  the  Father  that  the  Son  was 
sacrificed,  and  killed  on  the  cross. 

Moreover,  the  high  priest  did  take  the  blood,  first  of  the 
bullock,  then  of  the  slain  goat,  and  a  censer  in  his  hand,  and 
went  within  the  veil,  where  with  the  incense  he  did  make  a  cloud 
of  smoke  before  the  mercy-seat,  and  with  his  finger  did  sprinkle 
the  blood  seven  times  toward  the  mercy-seat.  All  which  the 
apostle  Paul  expounding  in  the  ninth  to  the  Hebrews  saith, 
that  "Christ  entered  not  into  the  tabernacle  made  with  hands, 
but  into  the  very  heavens;  not  with  the  blood  of  a  bullock,  or 
a  goat,  but  with  his  own  blood,  and  found  for  us  a  perpetual 
LUohnii.2.]  cleansing  and  remission  of  our  sins."  For  "he  is  our  propitiation; 
not  for  our  sins  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  all  the  world." 
And  hereunto  did  the  apostles  allude,  as  often  as  they  called 
Christ  our  propitiation  ;  as  St  Paul  in  the  third  to  the  Ptomans, 
and  St  John  in  the  second  and  fourth  chapter  of  his  first 
epistle.  Now  the  seven  times  sprinkling  of  the  blood  betokened 
the  full  perfection,  or  perfect  fulness,  of  the  cleansing.  We 
have  need  also  to  be  sprinkled  with  the  finger,  not  of  man, 
but  of  Christ  2  Jesus,  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  whose  finger  is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  by  whom  our  cleansing  doth  come  upon  us. 
To  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  is  also  added  sweet-smelling 
incense^ :  for,  as  the  apostle  testifieth,  Christ,  our  high  priest, 
did  offer  prayers  for  us  with  tears,  and  was  heard  in  that 
which  he  feared^.  AVhereupon,  by  the  cloud  of  smoke,  that 
is,  by  the  great  quantity  of  smoke,  was  noted  the  great  cfiicacy 
of  earnest  prayers. 

When  that  was  done,  the  high  priest  went  again  into  the 

[1  socundum  id  quod  mori  potuit,  Lat.] 
['^  summi  iiostri  Pontificis,  Lat. ;  our  Iligli-priest.] 
[^  inconsum    aromaticuin  contusum,  Lat. ;    of  beaten,   pounded, 
aromatics.] 

[■1  llcb.  V.  7,  pro  rcvcrcntia,  Lat.;  for  his  pioty.  Autb.  Vor.  inarg.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  197 

sanctum,  and  set  the  blood  upon  the  golden  altar  of  incense. 
For  in  the  work  of  our  redemption  both  innocent  blood  and 
earnest  prayer  for  us  must  be  joined  together.  Out  of  the 
sanctum  again  he  came  to  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings,  which 
stood  in  the  court  (which  was  called  atrium),  and  there  he  gave 
the  other  goat  to  a  convenient  man  to  be  carried  away  into 
the  wilderness :  but  in  the  delivering  of  the  goat  he  used  a 
precise  manner  and  singular  ceremony.  For  the  high  priest 
laid  both  his  hands  upon  the  goat,  and  over  his  head  did  con- 
fess the  sins  of  the  people,  who  also  did  themselves  confess 
their  sins,  following  the  priest,  clause  by  clause,  in  all  the 
confession^  which  he  rehearsed :  and  then,  so  soon  as  all  the 
sins  were  laid  upon  the  head  of  the  goat,  he  was  sent  away, 
that  by  that  means  he  might  carry  the  sins  of  all  the  people^ 
into  the  desert.  From  this  ceremony  did  the  Gentiles  un- 
doubtedly borrow  their  kind  of  cleansings  or  purgings  of  the 
people,  called  in  Greek  KaOapiutTa' ,  and  in  Latin  piamina. 
For  their  manner  was,  in  extreme  perils,  that  one  should  give 
himself  for  all  the  rest,  whom  they  took,  and  did  either  kill  and 
burn  upon  the  altar,  or  cast  into  the  water ;  praying  there- 
withal, that  all  their  evil  luck  might  go  with  him,  and  that  the 
gods  being  pacified  with  the  death  of  him^  might  again  be 
favourable  to  all  the  rest.  But  the  wretches  erred  as  far  as 
heaven  is  wide:  for  Christ  the  Son  of  God  was  made  sin 
for  us,  that  is,  he  was  made  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  yea,  he  became 
a  curse  for  us,  that  we  by  him  might  receive  a  blessing.  For 
to  this  had  the  prophet  Esay  an  eye,  when  he  said :  "We  all 
went  astray  like  sheep  ;  every  one  turned  after  his  own  way: 
but  the  Lord  hath  thrown  down  upon  him'^  all  our  sins."  Again: 
"He  was  wounded  for  our  offences,  and  smitten  for  our  wick- 
edness." And  again  :  "The  pains  of  our  punishment  were  laid 
upon  him,  and  he  bare  our  griefs'"." 

[5  See  Lightfoot's  Temple  Service,  chap.  15.  Works,  Vol.  i.  p.  9G3. 
Lond.  1684.     See  above,  p.  169,  note  8.] 

[•^  totius  ecclesia;,  Lat.] 

["  Kadapfxara — hominos  ignobilcs  ct  scclcratl,  qui  puMiro  alebantur 
et  grassante  pcste  aliovo  malo  graviorc  immolabantur  ad  oxpiandum 
urbem  aut  civitatem  Dcorumque  iram  averteiidam.  Sclileusner,  in  voc] 

[8  unius,  Lat.] 

P  cfFecit  in  ilium  incurrcrc,  Lat.] 

[10  Isai.  liii.  G,  8,  5.  For  the  paync  of  ouro  punyshmct  shal  bo 
layde  upo  him.   Coverdale,  1535.     But  this  last  quotation  in  the  Latin 


198  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

Now  the  goat  did  carry  the  sins  into  the  desert,  not  that 
the  sins  should  not  be,  but  that  they  should  not  be  any  more 
imputed  unto  them.  For  in  the  church  verily  there  is  sin  in 
the  saints,  but  it  is  not  imputed  unto  them.  Sin  is  imputed 
to  all  them  that  are  without  the  church,  in  the  desolate  wil- 
derness. The  convenient  man,  that  should  carry  away  the 
scape-goat,  can  be  none  other  than  Christ  himself,  who  in  the 
days  of  his  flesh  did  observe  the  convenient  time  and  fit  occa- 
sion, repeating  oftentimes  that  his  hour  was  not  yet  come;  but 
at  the  last,  when  time  convenient  was  come  for  him  to  die,  he 
said  that  then  his  hour  was  come.  And  by  dying  he  canned 
away  conveniently  the  scape-goat,  I  mean\  the  sin  of  all  the 
world. 

When  this  also  was  thus  accomplished,  the  high  priest  did 
again  wash  himself;  and,  putting  off  the  common  garments  of 
the  inferior  priests,  did  again  put  on  his  high  priest's  attire. 
Now  this  often  and  manifold  washing  in  the  holy  ceremony 
is  a  shadow,  or  type,  of  the  most  absolute  remission  of  sins; 
even  as  also  the  changing  of  a  garment  is  a  sign  or  figure  of 
glorification;  as  is  at  the  full  to  be  seen  in  the  third  chapter 
of  Zachary's  prophecy.  And  Christ,  being  glorified,  did  enter 
into  heaven,  there  to  appear  in  the  sight  of  God,  the  only  and 
effectual  sacrifice  for  us  mortal  men.  Therefore  did  Aaron 
sacrifice  a  ram  for  a  burnt-offering :  for  Christ  is  the  sacrifice 
which  endureth  always,  and  purgeth  all  the  faithful. 

Moreover,  Aaron  sent  the  bullock  and  the  other  goat  unto 
the  holy  place  without  the  host,  that  there  they  might  be 
burned.  Which  thing  Paul  expoundeth  thus,  and  saith :  "The 
bodies  of  those  beasts,  whose  blood  is  brought  into  the  holy 
place  by  the  high  priest  for  sin,  was  burnt  without  the  tents : 
therefore  Jesus  also,  that  he  might  sanctify  the  people  with 
his  blood,  did  suffer  without  the  gate."      Heb.  xiii. 

And  although  in  this  which  I  have  hitherto  alleged 
I  have  by  fits^  declared  the  end  and  fruit  of  this  ceremony, 
yet  will  I  not  think  it  much  here  again  particularly  to  repeat 
the  same  again ;  since  I  see  that  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
scripture  doth,  as  it  were,  take  pains  very  busily  to  beat  the 
same  into  our  heads. 

is  of  verso  4  :  Vere  languores  nostros  ipse  tulit,  et  doloves  nostros  ipse 
portavit.] 

[1  adeoquo,  Lat.]  [2  sparsim,  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAM'S    OF    OOD.  199 

The  end  of  all  this  stir  and  solemnity  is^,  that  all  the  sins, 
I  say,  all  the  sins  of  God's  universal  church,  are  by  the  one 
and  only  sacrifice,  once  only  offered,  most  perfectly  blotted 
out*  and  absolutely  purged.  Let  us,  therefore,  hear  the  very 
words  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  speaketh  in  the  scripture 
most  plainly  and  evidently,  saying:  First,  "And  the  high  [i-cv.xvi.  21, 
priest  shall  confess  over  the  goat  all  the  iniquities  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  all  their  trespasses  and  all  their  sins." 
Secondly,  "And  the  goat  shall  bear  upon  him  all  their  misdeeds 
into  the  desert."  Thirdly,  "The  same  day  shall  the  priest 
make  an  atonement  for  you,  to  cleanse  you,  that  you  may  be 
clean  from  all  your  sins  before  the  Lord."  Fourthly,  "  And 
let  this  be  an  everlasting  ordinance  unto  you,  to  cleanse  the 
children  of  Israel  from  all  their  sins  once  every  year."  But 
who  is  so  very  a  sot  or  dull  head  as  to  think,  that  all  the 
sins  of  the  people  are  washed  away  with  the  blood  of  beasts  ? 
"If,"  saith  the  apostle,  "they  had  once  fully  cleansed  sins,  then  [n,.b.  x. 
would  they  have  ceased  to  oifer  any  more."  By  this  cere-  '  '' 
raony,  therefore,  the  mystery  of  Christ  to  come  was  beaten 
into  all  men's  brains,  and  once  every  year  laid  forth  to  the 
eyes  of  all  men  to  behold.  For  of  this  ceremony  did  Zachary 
borrow  his  prophecy  of  Christ,  in  his  third  chapter,  where  zech.  lii. 
he  saith :  "  Behold,  I  bring  forth  the  Branch,  my  servant. 
For,  lo,  the  stone  that  I  lay  before  Josua,  upon  one  stone 
shall  be  seven  eyes :  behold,  I  will  cut  the  graving  thereof, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  I  will  take  away  the  sin  of  this 
land  in  one  day."  The  Lord  doth  promise  the  Messiah, 
which  was  prefigured  by  the  priests,  and  especially  by  ^  the 
high  priest  Josua.  Christ  is  the  stone,  upon  which  the  eyes 
of  all  men  are  stedfastly  fixed,  as  upon  their  only  Saviour. 
He  is  digged  in,  and  cut,  in  his  passion;  and  by  suffering 
and  dying  once  he  purgcth  the  sins  of  all  the  earth. 

Of  this  ceremony,  and  of  this  place  of  scripture,  did  Paul, 
the  holy  apostle  of  Christ,  borrow  his  whole  discourse  almost 
in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  touching  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
once  offered  for  all  the  sins  of  the  whole  world :  in  which 
discourse  he  doth  very  often  repeat  out  of  the  law  the  word 
"once,"  and  that  with  a  certain  emphatical  vchemency. 

[^  omnium,  Lat. ;  stir  and  solemnity,  not  in  Lat.] 
[»  c  medio  siddata,  Lat.] 
[•'  of,  ed.  1587.] 


200  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Theoniy  Now,  to  appoliit  other  priests,  to  institute  another  time, 

Christ  is       and  to  ordain  another  manner  of  sacrifice,  is  utterly  to  kick 

wodd"'*^      at,  and   tread  under  foot,   this   heavenly   and  most  evident 

truth.      But    this   doctrine  of   the  only  sacrifice   of    Christ 

is  the  true,  ancient,   sound,   unreproveable,  and  everlasting 

doctrine :  by  which  all  they  are  saved  that  are  saved,  and 

by  which  all  they  have  been  saved,  that  have  been  saved  since 

the   beginning  of  the  world.      The   enemies  or   adversaries 

of  this  doctrine  Paul,  the  apostle  of  Christ  and  the  Gentiles, 

(whose  skill  in  the  law  was  inferior  to  no  man^^s,)  doth  call 

[icor.xvi.    fools,  mad,  unconstant,  light-headed,  carried  with  every  puff  of 

■2-2 ;  -2  Cor.  xi.        .      /         .  '       O  J    I 

ji'  ■)'^  iii^'f '.I-  "^^1"^'  "vvickcd,  apostates,  which  have  revolted  from  Christ,  liars, 
I i  ^HiiL  hl' ^^^^®  prophets,  false  apostles,  deceivers,  schismatics,  dogs,  en- 
-■^  chanters,  witches,  detestable,  and  cursed.  Therefore,  if  an  angel 

from  heaven  teach  us  any  otherwise,  let  him  be  to  us  accursed. 

Yet  by  the  way  this  must  not  be  concealed,  that  in  that 
yearly  sacrifice  it  was  required  and  looked  for  at  men's 
hands,  first,  that  they  should  confess  their  sins ;  then,  that 
they  should  be  sorry  in  their  minds,  in  good  earnest  and 
indeed,  for  their  sins  committed ;  and  lastly,  that  they  should 
keep  sabbath, — I  do  not  mean  an  idle  resting  from  honest 
business,  but  a  quietness  in  the  faith  of  Christ  and  a  ceasing 
from  ill  deeds.  "Whosoever  doth  so  prepare  himself  in  the 
feast  of  atonement,  that  is,  in  the  time  of  the  preaching  of 
the  grace  of  God  through  Christ,  he  is  without  doubt 
throughly  cleansed  by  that  only  sacrifice  of  Christ  Jesus :  of 
which  I  have  hitherto  not  without  good  cause  spoken  so 
largely  as  you  perceive  that  I  have.  For  this  one  place  doth 
give  a  wonderful  light  both  to  the  understanding  of  many 
places  in  the  scriptures,  and  also  of  the  mystery  of  our  re- 
demption, and  of  Christ  our  lledeemer,  so  plainly,  that  no 
other  place'  doth  so  clearly  expound,  set  forth,  and  lay  them 
open  before  our  eyes  to  be  seen  and  looked  on :  it  doth  also 
teach  us  to  understand  the  words  of  Christ  our  Lord  in  the 
[John  V.  45,  gospel  of  St  John,  where  he  saith,  "  There  is  one  which 
accuseth  you,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye  hope:  for  had  ye 
beheved  Moses,  ye  would  then  have  believed  me ;  for  he 
wrote  of  me." 
wiI^um,'*'"  -^^^"^  ^'^^'^^  ^^^^  sacrifice  of  atonement  and  the  other  cleans- 

water  ot''      ^"g  sacrifices  we  do  advisedly  number  the  sacrifice  of  the  red 
['  vix  alius,  Lat. ;  scarce  any  other.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  201 

COW ;  I  mean,  of  the  cleansino:,  or  of  the  cleansino^  or  lioly  separation. 

'  '  O/  O  J    an,)  the  water 

water,  that  was  ordained  against  all  sorts  of  defilings  and  SeMil'ctheV 
uncleannesses.   For  there  were  sundry  kinds  of  uncleannesses;  S't'wlJs^sprT- 
of  which  there  is  a  large  discourse  to  be  seen  in  Moses  his  law :  LpamTcTror 
and  by  them  is  laid  before  us  the  type  of  our  corrupt  nature  fhe'Jltt'o'r'" 
and  continual  sins.    There  is  fully  described,  in  the  nineteenth  tin  by  it 
chapter  of  the  book  of  Numbers,  first  the  very  ceremony  and  cieanstu. 
sacred  rite;  then  is  declared  the  manner  how  to  make  the 
holy  cleansing  water  against  all   defilings;    lastly  is  added 
the  use  and  efi'ect  of  that  holy  water. 

There  was  brought  to  Eleazar  the  priest  a  red  cow  with-  xhe sacrifice 
out  spot,  which  never  felt  the  yoke,  and  that  was  out  ofww/"' 
hand  carried  out  and  slain  without  the  host.  Part  of  the 
blood  was  saved  by  the  priest,  and  with  his  finger  he  sprin- 
kled it  seven  times  towards  the  tabernacle  of  appointment : 
but  the  whole  cow  he  burnt  with  fire,  so  that  no  part  of  it 
was  left ;  and  into  the  fire  he  cast  cedar-wood,  hyssop, 
and  a  scarlet  lace.  This  being  once  done,  the  priest  did  wash 
himself  in  water,  and  in  his  stead  came  another  that  was 
clean-,  who,  gathering  the  ashes,  did  lay  them  up  in  a  clean 
place.  Therefore,  so  often  as  need  required,  they  did  put  off 
those  ashes  into  an  earthen  vessel,  into  which  they  poured 
running  water ^;  and  in  that  sort  was  the  holy  cleansing  water 
always  prepared,  which  they  did  sprinkle  with  a  sprinkler 
made  of  hyssop  upon  all  such  as  were  defiled.  This  was  the 
manner  and  ceremony  of  the  cleansing,  the  use  and  end 
whereof  doth  immediately  follow. 

The  apostle  Paul  doth  testify,  that  the  circumstances  of 
this  ceremony  did  lay  before  us  a  most  evident  type  of  Jesus 
Christ :  for  in  the  ninth  chapter  to  the  Hebrews  he  saith : 
"  If  the  ashes  of  a  young  cow,  sprinkled,  doth  sanctify  them  Heb.  ix. 
that  are  partakers  of  it  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  how 
much  more  the  blood  of  Christ!"  Therefore  both  the  priest 
and  the  cow  did  bear  the  type  of  Christ.  The  female  kind  in 
the  cow  doth  note  the  infirmity  of  man's  nature ;  the  red 
colour  doth  admonish  us  of  the  Lord  his  blood,  by  which  we 
are  washed  from  our  uncleanncss.  There  was  no  spot  to  be 
found  in  Christ ;  for  he  was  the  Holy  of  holies,  and  altogether 
free  from  and  without  all  sin.  He  was  not  brought  to  death 
by  the  yoke  of  necessity  ;  for  he  offered  himself  unto  it  of 
['-  vir  mundus,Tjat.]  [•''  aqua  viva,  Lat.] 


202  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

his  own  free  will :  yea,  he  offered  himself  willingly  to  go  to 
his  death,  and  that  too  without  the  host  or  walls  of  the 
city,  in  the  mount  of  Calvary  :  which  thing  the  apostle  Paul 
doth  touch  in  the  thirteenth  to  the  Hebrews.  Christ,  both 
God  and  man,  was  wholly  oiFered  in  body  and  soul :  whose 
blood  is  wholesome^  for  us,  if  by  the  Holy  Ghost  it  be 
sprinkled  in  our  hearts.  The  faithful  also  must  die  with 
Christ ;  they  must  be  humbled,  and  burn  in  love  to  God- ward 
as  red  as  scarlet  ^ :  and  that  was  the  meaning  of  the  cedar- 
wood,  the  hyssop,  and  the  scarlet  lace,  which  were  cast  into 
the  fire. 

Moreover,  the  ashes  which  came  of  the  sacrifice  were 
gathered  up  and  preserved  to  purify  and  cleanse  withal. 
Those  ashes  were  nothing  else  but  the  type  or  figure  of  the 
effect  of  Christ  his  death  or  sacrifice ;  I  mean,  the  very  cleans- 
ing and  remission  of  our  sins.  For  therefore  did  blood  and 
water  gush  abundantly  out  of  the  pierced  side  of  Christ^,  that 
we  might  learn  that  out  of  the  death  of  Christ  doth  flow  our 
cleansing  and  our  life :  for  in  blood  life  doth  consist,  and 
water  purgeth  and  is  a  sign  of  cleansing.  The  ashes  were 
gathered  by  a  man  that  was  clean,  who  nevertheless  was 
made,  and  did  remain,  unclean  until  the  evening.  Finally, 
the  water  was  sprinkled  with  a  sprinkler  made  of  hyssop  upon 
the  defiled,  to  the  end  that  thereby  he  might  be  sanctified  or 
purged.  The  water  was  kept  in  an  holy  place  :  for  marga- 
rites^  and  that  which  is  holy,  ought  not  to  be  cast  to  dogs 
and  filthy  swine.  The  Lord  also  doth  require  preachers  to 
teach  the  effect  of  Christ  his  passion,  and  in  the  contemptible 
and  lowly  ^  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  lay  before  the  world 
our  redemption  and  sanctification  in  the  death  and  blood  of 
Christ :  he  doth  require,  I  say,  such  holy  teachers  as  are 
themselves  faithful  and  cleansed  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  And 
yet  those  teachers,  with  the  whole  church  beside,  do  even  till 

[1  salutaris,  Lat.] 

[2  ardere  amore  divino  ct  extolli,  Lat.  'As  red  as  scarlet,'  is  the 
translator's  addition.] 

[^  morientis  et  jam  extincti  Cliristi,  Lat. ;  of  Christ,  when  dying, 
and  now  already  dead.] 

[<  margarit.ic,  Lat.;  pearls,  IMatth.  vii.  6.] 

[5  coram  mundo,  Lat.  ;  as  tlio  world  esteems  it.  The  translator 
missed  the  meaning  of  these  words,  when  he  rendered  them,  "to  lay 
before  the  workl."    BuUinger  had  in  his  mind  1  Cor.  i,  20 — 29.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    lAWS    OF    GOD.  203 

the  evening,  I  mean,  the  ending  of  their  lives,  pray  still, 
"Forgive  us  our  trespasses."  For  the  Lord  himself  said  ;  "He  [Johnxiiu 
that  is  washed  is  clean,  and  hath  no  need  but  to  wash  his  feet 
only."  To  this  do  appertain  the  often  washings  used  in  this 
ceremony,  which  signify  that  by  the  grace  of  God  all  sins  are 
purged ;  that  the  saints  have  always  an  holy  care  to  watch 
against  the  assaults  of  sin ;  and  that  those  sins  are  cleansed 
none  other  ways  but  by  the  water  of  Christ  his  grace.  Lastly, 
it  is  most  often  and  earnestly  repeated  in  the  law,  that  they 
all  remain  unclean,  how  many  soever,  being  once  defiled,  are 
not  again  cleansed  with  the  holy  water  of  separation.  For 
the  Lord  said  to  Peter,  "Unless  I  wash  thee,  thou  shalt  have  [Johnxiii.a.] 
no  part  with  me." 

My  meaning  is  not  to  run  through  every  particular  point 
of  this  ceremony,  but  to  touch  the  especial  matters  only. 
Therefore  now  I  proceed  to  that  which  remaineth. 

To  these  cleansing  sacrifices  may  also  be  added  the  sacri-  sacrifices  for 
fices  whereby  the  bodily  defilings,  which  were  figures  of  the  of 'the  bodf". 
defilings  of  sin,  were  purified  and  cleansed :  of  which  sort  were 
the  defilings  of  the  seed,  the  eating  and  touching  of  unclean 
creatures,  the  leprosy,  and  of  the  woman  in  child-bed  :    all 
which  ISIoses  doth  largely  handle  from  the  twelfth  of  Leviticus 
unto  the  fifteenth  of  the  same.  And  in  all  this  there  is  nothing 
else  prefigured  to  the  church  of  God  but  our  natural  corrup- 
tion and  original  wickedness,  with  the  free  cleansing  of  the 
same  by  the  grace  of  God  in  the  blood  of  Christ  our  Saviour. 
With  these  we  may  also  number  the   sacrifice  of  jealousy ;  The  sacrifice 
which  is  thoroughly  treated  of  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Numbers  : 
although   the  manner  and  order  thereof  seemeth  rather  to 
belong  unto  the  judicial  laws  of  God. 

The  fourth  kind  of  sacrifices  was  the  sacrifice  of  thanks-  The  sacrifice 

_  of  tlianl<.sgiv- 

giving*',  which  they  called  sGhelamim,  or  scholomim' ,  the  '"g- 
sacrifice  of  health,  or  the  peace-oiFering :  for  it  was  oflfered 
to  give  thanks  withal,  to  wit,  either  for  the  recovery  of 
health,  or  for  felicity  and  prosperity ;  I  mean,  when  they  had 
received  some  good  turn  at  the  hands  of  God,  or  else  by  his 
aid  had  escaped  the  brunt  of  some  mishap  or  evil  fortune.  In 
this  sacrifice  they  used  a  beast  either  of  the  herd  or  of  the 
[c  sacrificium  eucharistioc,  gratiarum  actionis,  vcl  gratulatorium, 
Lat.] 


204  THE    TFIIRD    DECADE.  [SEHM. 

fold:  it  was  not  lawful  to  offer  birds;  for  it  was  done  either 
with  a  bullock  or  an  heifer,  with  a  male  or  a  female  lamb,  or 
with  an  he  or  she-goat.  It  was  slain  before  the  atrium:  the 
hide  or  skin  thereof  was  the  priest's  fee.  The  blood  was 
sprinkled  about  the  altar.  The  kidneys,  the  caul  of  the  liver, 
the  rump  of  the  lamb,  and  all  the  fat,  was  burnt  upon  the 
altar  of  burnt-offerings.  The  right  shoulder  was  heaved,  the 
breast  was  waved  toward  the  ends  of  the  world^.  (For 
Thnima  and  tkruma  and  tJimipha^,  that  is,  the  heaving  and  waving,  were 

thnupha.  -^  '  o  .    ,       ,     °       . 

not  kinds  of  sacrifices,  but  ceremonies  only,  which  the  priests 
did  use  in  making  their  sacrifices  and  oblations.  By  the 
heaving  was  signified,  that  Christ  should  be  heaved  or  lifted 
up,  and  that  he,  being  once  lifted  up,  should  draw  all  men 
unto  him.  The  waving  of  the  breast  toward  every  part  of  the 
world  was  a  token,  that  the  preaching  of  Christ  should  be 
spread  in  every  corner  of  the  world.)  The  breast  and  the 
shoulder  were  both  the  priest's  portion,  together  with  the  jaw- 
bone and  the  paunch  or  belly.  The  rest  of  the  flesh  returned 
to  him  that  made  the  oblation,  and  was  eaten  by  him  in  an 
holy  banquet.  The  remnant  of  ceremonies  belonging  to  this 
[Leyj- vii.  sacrifice  are  to  be  found  in  the  third  chapter  of  Leviticus. 
For  if  it  were  thoda^,  a  confession,  a  praise,  or  a  protestation, 
then  was  added  to  the  sacrifice  a  cake  of  pure  wheat  flour  and 
salt  steeped  in  oil,  or  sodden  cracknels,  or  bread  baken  in 
pans :  part  whereof  was  heaved,  and  fell  to  the  priest's  share ; 
the  rest  returned  to  the  offerer,  even  as  also  leavened  bread 
was  allowed  to  be  eaten  in  the  banquet. 

Now  in  this  kind  of  sacrifice  also  Christ  was  preached, 
with  the  effect  and  power  of  his  death  and  passion ;  and  in  it 
was  shewed  the  whole  manner  and  order  of  giving  thanks  to 
God  for  his  good  benefits.  There  are  sundry  sorts  of  benefits. 
If  a  man  received  a  good  turn,  if  an  ill  turn  had  not  befallen 
him,  if  he  had  recovered  his  health  or  had  escaped  some 
misfortune,  he  offered  a  sacrifice  to  the  Lord.  There  are 
also  other  ancient  benefits  common  to  all  men';  as,  that  God 

[1  in  cardines  miindi,  Lat.] 

[2  n^^nJI,  <*  heave-ofering.  ("12^3^1,  ivamng,  shah'mg  of  sacrifices 
before  Jehovah,  a  particular  rite  in  oircring.  Gesenius,  Ilcb.  and  Eng. 
Lex.  in  voc] 

[^  mij^    Ileb.  confession,  praise.] 

['  common  to  all  men,  not  in  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  205 

hath  made  the  world  and  all  that  is  therein ;  and  that  through 
Christ  he  hath  redeemed  all  the  faithful :  there  are  daily 
benefits ;  yea  finally,  all  things  are  full  of  God's  good  benefits. 
For  all  which  benefits  we  must  off'cr  our  sacrifice  to  God  alone, 
and  not  to  any  creatures  which  he  hath  made :  yea,  we  must 
offer  to  him  with  all  our  hearts ;  all  our  affections  must  be 
hallowed  to  the  Lord.  For  out  of  the  beasts  which  were 
sacrificed  to  the  Lord  for  thanksgiving,  those  parts  were 
chosen  and  given  to  the  Lord  in  which  the  especial  power  of 
life  consisteth.  For  in  the  kidneys  is  the  power  of  generation; 
in  the  blood  the  vital  spirit ;  in  the  liver  the  spring  of  all  the 
blood,  &c.  Now  we  must  give  thanks  by  a  sacrifice,  that  is, 
by  Christ,  for^  we  are  saved  for  Christ  his  sake;  and  all  good 
things  are  bestowed  on  us  by  God,  not  for  our  own  sakes,  nor 
for  any  creatures'  sakes,  but  for  Christ  his  sake,  our  only 
Saviour  and  Redeemer.  To  them  which  oft'ered  was  allowed 
a  sober  and  merry  banquet,  because  the  felicity  of  those  that 
are  not  unthankful  is  for  the  most  part  augmented  two-fold 
double.  And  the  knowledge  of  Christ  is  a  delicate  banquet 
and  a  continual  feast. 

With  the  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving  those  offerings  do  xhefree-wiu- 
much  agree  which  are  called  vows  and  free-will-offerings*^. 
The  free-will-offering  was  that  which  proceeded  of  mere  good 
will  and  devotion  of  the  mind,  without  necessity  or  compulsion 
of  any  law  or  ordinance ;  as  when  a  servant  giveth  to  his 
master  the  thing  that  he  oweth  him  not,  for  a  declaration 
only  of  the  good  will  that  he  beareth  unto  him.  But  herein 
the  free-will-ofterings  do  differ  from  the  sacrifice  of  thanks- 
giving ;  because  in  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving  charge  was 
given,  that  whatsoever  was  left,  which  was  not  spent  the  first 
day,  should  not  be  eaten  on  the  morrow,  but  be  burnt  with 
fire :  on  the  other  side,  in  the  free-will-ofterings  it  was  lawful 
for  them  to  eat  the  remnant  upon  the  second  day,  and^  to 
burn  then*  leavings  upon  the  third  day.  Now  the  vowed 
sacrifices  were  those  which  were  offered  by  covenant  to  the 
Lord ;  as  for  example,  a  man,  being  in  peril,  doth  vow  to 
make  a  sacrifice  to  God,  if  he  be  delivered  out  of  that  im- 
minent danger :  it  falleth  out  that  he  is   delivered,  and  he 

[^  porro,  Lat. ;  further.] 

[•^  "113,  a  vow,  ("7113   a  voluntary  offering.] 

['  jubcbautur,  Lat.j  tliey  were  commanded.] 


206  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

for  his  delivery  doth  offer  up  the  sacrifice :  the  thing  that 
is  so  offered  is  called  a  vowed  sacrifice.  The  ceremonies  of 
the  twain  1  did  wholly  agree  with  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving. 
More  of  them  is  to  be  seen  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  Levi- 
ticus. 

The  meaning  of  these  sacrifices  was,  that  all  good  benefits 
are  bestowed  upon  us  for  Christ  his  sake ;  and^  with  those 
benefits  we  receive  the  very  good  will  which  we  have  to 
serve  the  Lord. 

Thus  much  have  I  hitherto  said  touching  the  sacrifices 
of  the  people  of  God  :  not  that  I  have  touched  every  point, 
but  so  many  only  as  are  of  most  importance.  In  these 
sacrifices,  as  in  a  Hvely  action,  were  set  forth  Christ  our 
Lord,  his  passion,  and  the  effectual  merit  of  his  death :  so 
that  we  may  call  the  holy  actions  of  the  sacrifices  sermons 
upon  the  passion  of  Christ,  and  instructions^  of  our  redemption 
by  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 

Now,  for  because  we  have  already  spoken  hitherto  of 
vowed  sacrifices,  we  must  here  consequently  borrow  leave, 
for  a  digression,  to  say  somewhat  of  their  usual  vows.  For 
vows  belong  to  the  Jewish  ceremonies.  Of  the  making,  per- 
forming, and  redeeming  of  vows  there  is  a  large  discourse 
in  the  law  of  God,  but  especially  in  the  twenty-seventh  of 
Leviticus.  To  vow  is  to  promise  any  thing^  with  an  oath 
solemnly,  either  for  our  own  or  another's  welfare.  And 
therefore  a  vow  was  an  action  referred  to  God  alone,  and 
that  too  in  an  holy  and  lawful  thing.  But  in  vows  there 
was  a  difference;  because  vowed  things  were  divided  into 
four  kinds :  for  sometimes  they  vowed  men,  sometimes 
they  vowed  other  living  things,  sometimes  houses,  and  some- 
times lands  or  other  immoveable  substance^.  Again,  there 
was  a  difference  in  men  according  to  their  ages,  and  after^ 
their  ages  they  might  be  redeemed.  For  clean  living  crea- 
tures there  was  no  redemption  permitted  at  all.  It  was 
free  either  to  leave  their  houses  to  the  use  of  the  ministery, 
or  else  to  redeem  them  with  such  a  sum  as  the  priest  should 

[}  of  the  twain,  not  in  Lat.] 

[2  atque  adeo,  Lat.;  and  so  too.] 

[3  catcchescs,  Lat.]  [•*  Deo,  Lat.;  imto  God.] 

[5  res  inanimcs,  Lat.;  lifeless  things.] 

[c  juxta,  Lat.;  according  to.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  207 

value  them  at".  In  lands,  redemption  was  sometimes  ad- 
mitted, and  sometimes  not  admitted.  And  in  the  thirtieth 
chapter  of  the  book  of  Numbers  there  is  a  precise  command- 
ment given  touching  the  votaries,  when  their  vows  are  of 
force,  and  when  of  small  effect ;  where  it  is  diligently  beaten 
into  their  heads,  that  vows  lawfully  made  to  God  are  not  to 
be  called  back  again,  but  straitly  kept  and  throughly  per- 
formed. Eash  or  unlawful  vows  the  Lord  did  never  like 
of  nor  receive. 

Of  the  lawful  vows,  and  such  as  are  made  to  the  true 
and  only  God,  the  prophet  speaketh,  where  he  saith,  "MakciPs. 
vows,  and  pay  them."  We  read  not  that  any  of  the  godly 
sort  did  make  any  vows  to  any  saints  or  any  other  creatures; 
neither  that  they  vowed  any  thing  that  was  not  in  their 
power  to  vow,  nor  that  which  was  contrary  to  the  will  of 
God  to  whom  they  vowed  it,  nor  that  which  was  to  their 
neighbour's  hinderance,  nor  the  thing  that  had  not  in  it  some 
evident  commodity.  And  verily,  these  kinds  of  vows  were 
for  none  other  cause  permitted  to  the  Israelites  till  the  time 
of  amendment,  but  that  they  should  remain  in  the  worship 
of  one  true  God,  and  not  make  their  vows  to  any  other 
strange  God. 

To  the  treatise  of  vows  belongcth  the  discipline  and  The  disci 
order  of  the  Xazarites ;  of  which  there  is  a  large  discourse  Nazarues. 
in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Numbers.  The  Nazarites 
were  those  who,  because  they  would  the  more  freely,  without 
let,  attend  upon  God's  service,  or  else  because  they  had 
heretofore  Uved  too  licentiously,  did  of  their  own  accord  and 
will  take  upon  them  a  more  strict  and  severe  trade  of  life 
than  the  common  people  used,  and  kept  it  for  a  discipline, 
to  make  other  men  to  follow  their  example  of  virtue  and 
honest  living.  Whereupon  it  cometh  to  pass,  that  some  do 
take  the  Nazarites  to  have  their  name  of  separation,  because 
Nazir  among  the  Hebrews  signifieth  a  separation ;  and  that 
the  Nazarites,  separating  themselves  from  the  common  trade 
of  life  that  other  men  did  lead,  did  give  themselves  to  a 
peculiar  form  of  living  for  God  and  godliness'  sake.  That 
severe  and  strict  disciphne  did  continue  in  some  by  the 
length  of  all  their  lifetime,  as  in  Samson  and  Samuel. 

Moreover,   such  as  did  wholly  give  themselves  to   the 
[7  sostimationc  sequa,  Lat. ;  fair  valuation.] 


the 


208  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

Ltm"iv''7'i '  ^^"^y  ^^  the  scriptures  were,  by  the  prophets  Amos  and 
Jeremy,  because  of  their  most  temperate  life  (which  is 
required  of  students),  and  because  they  were  wholly  dedicated 
to  the  ministry  of  God,  called  Nazarites.  Sometimes  also  it 
did  endure  but  for  the  space  of  certain  days  or  months. 
These  Nazarites  did  abstain,  according  to  the  commandment 
of  the  law,  from  certain  things,  from  which  they  were  not 
barred  by  any  other  law,  and  which  were  not  unlawful  for 
other  men  to  use  which  were  without  the  necessity  of  that 
vow.  First  of  all  they  abstained  from  wine,  from  all  things 
that  the  vine  brought  forth,  and  whatsoever  else  did  make 
men  drunken.  But  it  is  manifest,  that  as  wine  is  the  good 
creature  of  God,  so  no  drink  is  forbidden  by  the  law.  Yet 
for  because  the  Nazarites  were  consecrated  to  the  Lord,  and 
sanctified  by  a  certain  peculiar  kind  of  living  ;  and  for  because 
wine  is  the  means  that  leadeth  to  drunkenness,  which  is  the 
gulf  of  all  sin  and  filthiness ;  therefore  did  the  Nazarites  not 
without  a  cause  abstain  from  wine.  They  did  also  take  heed 
of  idleness,  the  mother  of  mischief,  and  utterly  despised  all 
worldly  pleasures.  Furthermore,  so  long  as  the  time  of  their 
vow  endured,  they  did  not  chp  their  hair,  but  let  their  locks 
grow  out  a  length.  And  thereupon,  as  some  do  think,  they 
took  their  names,  and  were  called  Nazarites  :  for  insomuch 
as  Nazer  signifieth  hair,  they  suppose  that  they  were  called 
Nazarites,  as  who  should  say,  long-locked  or  shaggy-haired 
peopled  But  the  apostle  Paul  biddeth  the  woman  to  pray,  or 
to  come  into  the  congregation  to  hear  a  sermon,  with  her  head 
covered,  for  none  other  cause,  but  for  that  she  is  not  in  her 
own  power,  but  subject  to  another,  that  is,  to  her  husband. 
And  therefore  the  Nazarites  did  let  their  hair  grow,  because 
by  the  vow  which  they  had  made  to  God  they  were  no  longer 
in  their  own  power,  but  were  wholly  yielded  into  the  power 
of  God.  And  the  head,  which  is  the  tower  of  the  body  and 
the  most  excellent  part  thereof,  being  covered-  with  a  bush  of 
hair,  was  a  token  that  the  whole  man  was  by  vow  given 
to  the  Lord,  to  whom  alone  he  ought  to  have  an  eye,  and 
upon  whom  alone  he  ought  wholly  to  depend.      Moreover  it 

[1  *10  consecration,  lloncamciou.  the  consecrated  head  {oi  a.'^azvi- 
ritc) ; — and  even  (the  primary  idea  being  neglected),  the  lonrj,  unshorn 
hair  (of  a  woman).     Gesenius,  lleb.  and  Eng.  Lex.  in  voc] 

[2  veluti  obvclata,  Lat,  ;  covered  as  witli  a  veil.] 


VI.]  THE    CEIIEMONIAL    LAWS    OF     GOD.  209 

was  required  at  the  hands  of  the  Nazarlte,  that  he  should  not 
defile  himself  with  the  contagious  company  of  wicked  and 
naughty  persons.  AVhereunto  also  belongeth  the  command- 
ment, which  charged  the  Nazarite  not  to  be  present  at  the 
death  or  burial  of  his  parents,  or  children,  or  wife,  or  breth- 
ren, or  sisters.  For  he  ought  to  settle  the  eyes  of  his  mind 
upon  God  alone,  and  in  comparison  of  him  to  set  light  by  and 
loathe  the  things  which  were  most  dear  and  precious  unto  him. 
But  if  it  so  fell  out,  that^  at  unawares  he  were  defiled  by 
seeing  of  a  dead  body  ■*,  he  was  not  therefore  acquitted  of  his 
vow,  as  one  whose  former  life  had  been  sufiicicnt  for  tho 
performance  of  the  same  :  for  he  was  commanded  to  sanctify 
himself  the  seventh  day,  and  then  to  undertake  the  keeping 
of  his  vow  again. 

By  all  this  we  may  plainly  perceive  what  and  how  great  samson  a 
the  sin  of  Samson  was,  who  was  a  Nazarite  to  the   Lord.  the^Lord  ■" 
For  because  he  did  not  only  lurk  in  the  brothel-house  with  he  sinned. 
the  harlot,  but  did  also  bewray  the  secret  of  God  unto  her, 
and  cast  behind  him  the  covenant  made  with  God,  whereof 
his  hair  was  a  sure  testimony  ;  therefore  did  the  Lord  forsake 
him,  and  that  wonderful  strength  which  he  had  from  heaven 
was  clean  taken  from  him.      For  the  strength  of  Samson  lay 
not  in  his  hair,  so  that  by  the  cutting  off  his  hair  his  strength 
was  cut  away  also  ;  but  it  lay  in  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  which 
was  given  him  from  God  above.      And  therefore  do  we  find 
this  sentence  so  often  in  the  scripture,   "And  the  Spirit  of  the  rjudg.  xiu. 
Lord  came  upon  Samson."     Therefore  when  the  Spirit   of  igj'xty'u'.] 
God  departed,  his  strength  departed  also:  but  it  departed 
from  him,  when  he,  being  wholly  joined  unto  the  harlot,  was 
made  one  soul  with  her,  and  did  prefer  her  before  God  and 
his  commandment,  so  that  he  suffered  his  hair  to  be  polled, 
and  utterly  revolted  from  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord  :    for 
by  that  means  did  the  Spirit  of  God  forsake  him.      Where- 
upon immediately  after  he  was  brought  into  the  hands  of  his 
enemies  the  PhiUstines ;  where  when  he  was  miserably  vexed, 
and  when  he  heard  the  name  of  God  evil  spoken  of^  and 
blasphemed  because  of  his  captivity,  he  repented  heartily,  and 

[3  vel,  Lat. ;  even  at.] 

[■1  super  mortuo,  Lat. ;  by  a  dead  body.      Seeing  of,  not  in  Lat.] 
[5  Rather,  and  when  on  his  account  the  name  of  God  (male  audirct, 
Lat.)  was  evil  spoken  of.] 

[bullixgek,  II. J 


210  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord :  whereby  it  came  to  pass, 
that,  when  his  hair  grew  forth  again,  his  strength  returned  ; 
that  is,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him  again,  being 
brought  unto  him,  not  by  the  growing  of  his  hairs,  but  by  his 
repentance  and  earnest  calling  upon  the  Lord.  K^either  did 
Samson  desire  to  revenge  his  own  private  injury  so  much  as 
to  suppress  the  blasphemous  mouths,  and  to  deliver  the  people 
of  God^  from  fear  and  slavery.  The  strength  of  God,  there- 
fore, returned  again,  wherewith  he  bending  the  pillars  of  the 
theatre  was  himself  slain  with  the  fall  of  the  palace,  and  at 
his  death  slew  many  mo  than  he  had  killed  in  all  his  life 
time  before. 

But  now  we  return  again  to  the  purpose,  to  add  the  other 
ceremonies  that  do  belong  to  the  exposition  of  the  vow  of  the 
Nazarites. 

When  the  time  was  expired,  therefore,  which  the  Nazarite 
had  taken  upon  him  for  to  observe,  he  came  to  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  Lord,  and  offered  the  sacrifices  that  are  prescribed 
in  the  law :  whereby  he  testified  that  he  was  a  sinner,  and 
plainly  confessed  that  all  goodness  and  virtue  2,  that  was  to  be 
found  in  him,  was  given  and  bestowed  from  God  above.  And 
therefore  he  polled  his  head,  and  cast  his  hair  into  the  fire^ 
wherein  the  peace-offering  was  a  burning.  At  last,  when  all 
this  was  in  this  manner  accomplished,  it  was  lawful  for  the 
Nazarite,  as  one  loosed  of  his  bonds,  to  return  unto  his  old 
life  again.  Thus  much  hitherto  touching  the  disciphne  of  the 
Nazarites. 
Of  the  clean  Now  touching;  the  clean  and  unclean,  there  is  a  long  dis- 

and  unclean  .  rt-nr  t     •  n  •  ^•  ^ 

creatures.  course  m  tlio  law  of  Moscs.  I  in  my  former  treatise  did 
lightly  touch  and  pass  over  some  certain  things ;  but  now  at 
the  last  (for  here  I  mean  to  make  an  end  to  speak  of  ceremo- 
nial laws)  I  will  add  somewhat  touching  the  choice  of  meats, 
I  mean,  of  clean  and  unclean  meats, 

God,  verily,  in  the  beginning  created  all  things ;  and  he 
so  created  them,  that,  as  the  Creator  is  good,  even  so  all  his 
creatures  even  at  this  day  are  good  also  :  neither  doth  he 
gainsay   himself  now,   when  he  forbiddeth  certain  meats,  as 

[1  ad  quos  vocatus  fucrat,  Lat.  omitted;  unto  whom  lie  had  been 
called.] 

[2  id  est,  si  quid  virtutis,  Lat. ;  that  is,  whatever  virtue.] 
[3  craticulam,  Lat. ;  gridiron.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF     GOD.  211 

though  somewhat  of  itself  were  unclean.  There  are  other 
mysteries,  that  lie  hidden  under  this  doctrine  of  the  choice  of 
meats. 

The  laws,  which  are  given  touching  meats  and  victuals,  why  ond 
seem  to  be  small  and  of  little  value  ;  but  it  pleased  the  Lord  in  eating  of'' 

111-  •!  11'  certain 

a  small  thmg  to  admonish  us  what  we  have  to  do  m  a  greater,  "'^au. 
and  that  even  in  the  smallest  things  the  authority  of  his  God- 
head ought  to  be  regarded.  For  the  authority  of  the  law 
dependeth  upon  God :  God  is  the  lawgiver,  and  the  law  is 
his  invention.  This  suppresseth  the  malapertness  of  mortal 
men,  which  maketh,  undoeth,  and  every  day  deviseth  new 
laws  and  ordinances.  Therefore  God  in  these  kind  of  laws 
doth  commend  to  his  people  faithful  obedience  to  be  shewed 
unto  him :  even  as,  in  the  beginning,  he  commanded  Adam 
not  to  taste  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 
requiring  thereby  faithful  obedience  to  be  shewed  unto  him. 
Verily,  the  obedience  and  faith,  which  was  in  the  Maccabees, 
in  old  Eleazar,  and  in  certain  other  godly  men,  that  stood  The  constant 

...  Ill-  i"      1      •       1  1        1  obedience  of 

agamst  kmor  Antiochus,  even  to  the  shcddmg  oi  their  blood  t^ertain  hoiy 

~  ~  o  men,  who 

and  suffering  of  most  bitter  death,  did  please  the  Lord  ex-  fj'om'th^ngs 
ceedingly.      Other  more  abstained  from  swine's  flesh,  where- ""jlac^ji.s; 
by  they  obtained  neither  praise  nor  glory   among  wicked  &c!t%ii!i '"' 
men*.     When  the  word  of  God  saith  that  a  thing  is  holy,  it 
is  holy  indeed ;  and  that,  because  he  is  holy  that  commandeth 
it.      AVhen  God  saith  that  any  thing  is  unclean,  it  is  unclean 
indeed,  so  that  to  eat  any  thing  against  the  word  of  God  is 
to  defile  the  eater.   "  Ye  now,"  saith  the  Lord  in  the  Gospel,  [Johnxv.  3.] 
"  are  clean   because   of  the   word   which  I  said  unto  you." 
It  is  needful,  therefore,  that  we  believe  the  word  of  God, 
and  that  obedience  go  before  faith ^ ;  and  then  it  cannot  be 
but  that  the  deed  or  work  that  is  of  faith,  as  Eleazar's  was, 
who  would  not  taste  the  swine's  flesh,  must  needs  be  accept- 
able unto  God,  with  whom  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin  ^R"™-  ''•v. 
and  wickedness. 

Moreover,  the  Lord  in''  these  laws  of  his  touching  the 
abstaining  from  the  flesh  of  certain  hving  creatures  had  a 
great  respect  unto  the  health  and  soundness  of  mortal  men's 

[*  among  wicked  men,  not  in  Lat.] 

[5  et  pra?ccdat  obedicntia  fidei,  Lat. ;   the  obedience  of  faith  go 
before.] 

[8  in  quibusdam,  Lat. ;  in  somo  of.] 

14—2 


212  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sEUM. 

bodies.  For  some  of  those  which  he  forblddeth  to  be  eaten 
are  by  physicians^  scarcely  thought  to  be  wholesome  for  our 
bodies.  And  thereupon  the  saints  do  gather  this  syllogism : 
If  God  hath  care  for  the  health  of  our  bodies,  he  is  far 
more  careful  verily  for  the  preservation  of  our  souls.  What 
may  be  thought  of  this,  that  many  nations  have  tempered ^ 
themselves  from  the  eating  and  touching  of  some  living 
creatures?  Therefore,  that  the  people  of  Israel,  who  of 
themselves  were  sufficiently  superstitious  and  curious  enough, 
should  not  be  their  own  carvers,  and  invent  such  toys  as 
they  thought  best,  God  gave  them  such  laws  for  choice  of 
their  meat  as  did  contain  hidden  mysteries  in  them,  thereby 
to  draw  them  from  their  own  devices,  and  to  sever  them 
from  all  other  nations ;  as  Moses  testifieth  in  the  fourteenth 
chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  saying :  "  Thou  art  an  holy  people 
unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  chosen 
thee  from  among  all  the  nations  upon  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth,  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  himself."  To  St  Peter^ 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  a  vision  is  shewed,  wherein  by 
the  unclean  beasts  are  meant  the  Gentiles.  Lastly,  God 
would  have  the  nature  and  disposition  of  the  beasts,  that  he 
forbad  to  be  eaten,  to  be  throughly  scanned.  For  in  their 
diet  at  the  table  he  did  by  figures  lay  before  their  eyes  the 
heavenly  philosophy,  giving  them  occasion,  even  in  their 
meat,  to  think  and  speak  of  the  true  holiness  of  the  mind, 
to  the  end  that  men  should  not  be  filthy,  impudent,  foul, 
and  unclean.  And  therefore  is  this  clause  so  many  times 
ILev.  xix.  2;  repeated,  "  t  the  Lord  your  God  am  holy ;"  as  if  he  should 
8.&C.]'  say  :  All  these  ceremonies  tend  to  this  end,  that  ye  may  give 
yourselves  to  holiness.  Wherefore  in  those  figures  he  taught 
the  godly  what  to  follow,  and  what  to  fly  from. 

Now  in  the  law  of  the  clean  and  unclean  he  doth  first 
of  all  put  certain  gcncrahties ;  then  he  dcscendcth  by  spe- 
cialities, and  doth  in  a  bcadrow*  reckon  up  certain  particular 
things  in  a  very  natural  course  and  order.  The  place  is 
at  the  full  set  out  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Leviticus  and 
the  fourteenth  of  Deuteronomy.     Those  beasts  were  allowed 

[1  ct  a  incdicis,  Lat.] 

[2  sibi  tompcrarunt,  Lat. ;  have  abstained.] 

[3  certe,  Lat.;  without  a  doubt.] 

[■*  per  catalogum,  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  213 

to  be  eaten,  which  cleave  tlie  hoof,  and  chaw  tlie  cud.  Ilcrc 
are  two  things  set  down,  in  which  the  duty  of  a  good  man 
is  notably  contained  :  for  if  we  will  be  clean,  we  must 
divide  the  hoof,  and  also  chaw  the  cud.  Our  affection  is 
the  foot  of  our  minds,  which  aifcction  must  not  be  followed. 
We  must  have  discretion  in  all  things  to  judge  betwixt  affec- 
tions. And  as  in  a  cleft  there  be  two  parts  or  sides,  the 
right  and  the  left ;  so  a  good  man  chooseth  the  good,  and 
flicth  from  the  evil.  Chawing  of  the  cud  is  our  judgment. 
For  wo  must  not  admit  everything  which  we  hear  and  see, 
but  those  things  only  which  we  have  examined  exactly,  and 
found  to  be  contrary  neither  to  God  nor  to  his  law. 

There  are  then  repeated  many  living  things  particularly, 
which  were  not  lawful  to  be  eaten  among  the  people  of  the 
Lord.  Those  were  either  four-footed  beasts  upon  the  earth, 
or  fishes,  or  birds,  or  such  as  creep  upon  the  ground.  Of 
four-footed  beasts  four  by  name  we  are  especially  forbidden : 
the  camel,  whose  long  and  lofty  neck  doth  teach  us,  that  pride 
and  arrogancy  must  be  eschewed^;  the  coney,  or  the  moun- 
tain mouse^ ;  for  God  doth  utterly  mislike  the  men  that  are 
altogether  overwhelmed,  like  coneys,  in  the  earth,  and  never 
lift  up  their  minds  unto  heaven'^ ;  the  hare,  a  fearful  beast, 
which  doth  warn  us  to  shake  off  all  cowardly  fearfulness ; 
even  as  also  the  hog  doth  put  us  in  mind  to  avoid  all  un- 
cleanness ;  for  a  hog  is  the  very  type  and  picture  of  nasty 
filthiness,  and  of  it  doth  the  byword  rise,  to  call  an  uncleanly 
person  a  beastly  swine ^.  And  of  Circe  the  fable  goeth,  that 
she  with  her  enchantments  did  turn  Ulysses  his  men  into  a 
sort  of  loathly  hogs^.  Furthermore  of  fishes,  so  much  was 
allowed  for  meat,  as  was  found  to  have  fins  and  scales  upon 
them :  if  they  lacked  either  of  them,  they  were  forbidden ; 
as  the  eel,  which  though  it  hath  fins  yet  lacketh  it  scales, 
and  therefore  was  not  to  be  eaten.  For  as  the  bodies  of 
fishes  are  ruled  with  the  fins,  so  must  the  whole  man  be  go- 
verned by  hope'".     The  scales  are  hard  and  cover  the  body : 

[s  modis  omnibus,  Lat. ;  by  all  means.] 

[6  ]r){j^^   the  jerboa.     The   name  is  probably  derived  from   tlio 

animal's  hurrowinrj.     Lee's  Lex.  in  voc] 
[7  and  never — heaven,  not  in  Lat.] 

[8  qui  et  proverbiis  locum  dedit,  is  the  Lat.  of  this  sentence.] 
[9  Horn.  Od.  Lib.  x.]  [lo  spc  firma,  Lat.] 


214  THE    THIRD    DECADK.  [sEUM, 

and  we,  unless  we  be  constant  and  patient  in  the  Lord's 
work,  are  worthy  to  be  abhorred  of  the  Lord  our  Maker. 
Of  birds  those  are  forbidden,  which  are  the  greatest  raveners, 
devourers ;  which  love  and  live  by  unclean  meats ;  which  fly 
abroad  at  owl-light,  at  midnight,  and  in  the  dark ;  and  such 
as  are  crafty,  unstable,  and  nothing  cheerfuP.  Herein  there- 
fore is  commended  unto  us  well-doing,  abstinence,  temperance, 
simplicity,  light,  constancy,  cheerfulness,  soundness  and  pure- 
ness  of  living.  Lastly,  of  such  as  creep  by  the  ground  no 
small  number  are  noted  :  for  men  altogether  wrapped  in 
worldly  muck  do  utterly  displease  the  Lord. 

I  have  of  purpose  not  reckoned  up  all  the  names  of  the 
forbidden  creatures,  partly  because  it  would  have  been  too 
tedious  unto  you,  and  partly  because  the  interpreters  of  the 
Bible  do  wonderfully  stick^  in  the  interpretation  of  their 
names  :  so  that  I  can  never  marvel  enough  at  the  extreme 
blind  stubbornness  of  the  Jewish  people,  in  keeping  so  strictly 
the  choice  of  their  meats,  when  their  own  rabbins  do  stick, 
and  cannot  tell  certainly  what  creatures  they  be  that  the  Lord 
did  forbid  them. 

To  this  belongeth,  that  even  before  the  law,  in  the  time 
of  Noah,  God  did  forbid  to  eat  the  blood  and  the  flesh  with 

The  eating  of  the  blood   of   any  thing  torn  by  wild  beasts,  or  strangled. 

strangled  is    Bcforo  the  deluo;e  the  fathers  did  eat  the  herbs  and  fruits  of 

forbidden.  '^ 

the  earth.  After  the  flood  they  had  leave  given  to  eat  the 
flesh  of  living  creatures ;  but  so  yet,  that  they  should  cut  the 
throat  off,  and  drain  the  blood  out  of  the  body.  The  place  is 
extant  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  Genesis.  Moreover,  in  the  law 
Lev.  xvii.  the  Lord  with  great  severity  saith  :  "Whatsoever  man  it  be 
of  the  house  of  Israel,  or  of  the  strangers  that  sojourn  among 
you,  that  eatetli  any  manner  of  blood,  I  will  set  my  face 
against  that  soul,  and  will  cut  him  off  from  among  his  people." 
Leviticus  xvii.  And  the  same  law  is  repeated  in  the  nine- 
teenth chapter  of  the  same  book,  and  in  the  twelfth  and  fif- 
teenth chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  It  is  again  rehearsed  in  the 
third  and  seventh  chapter  of  Leviticus.  Neither  is  it  without 
very  just  and  great  causes,  that  he  did  so  severely  forbid  the 
eating  of  blood.  For  first  of  all,  after  the  words  above  re- 
hearsed, he  addcth  immediately  :  "For  the  life  of  the  flesh  is 
in  the  blood ;  and  I  have  given  it  unto  you  upon  the  altar,  to 
[1  alacres,  Lat.]  [2  laborant  ac  variant,  Lafc.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  215 

make  an  atonement  for  your  souls :  for  blood  shall  make  an 
atonement  for  the  soul.  Therefore  I  said  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  Let  no  soul  among  you  eat  blood,  &c."  Lo,  in 
these  words  a  most  evident  reason  is  given  why  it  was  not 
lawful  to  eat  blood ;  because  blood  was  the  most  excellent  and 
precious  thing,  as  that  which  was  ordained  for  the  sanctifica- 
tion  of  mankind.  For  God  gave  blood  to  be  as  the  price, 
wherewith  sins  should  be  cleansed  ;  to  be,  I  say,  the  price  of 
redemption,  whereby  men  should  be  absolved  of  their  sins. 
Blood  also  is  the  life,  that  is,  the  nourishment  of  life. 

The  blood,  therefore,  was  a  sign  of  the  blood  of  Christ, 
that  was  to  be  shed  upon  the  cross :  by  which,  as  by  a  most 
full  and  absolute  atonement,  the  faithful  are  cleansed  and 
thoroughly  sanctified ;  and  in  which  is  the  nourishment  of  the 
soul  to  life  everlasting  :  and  as  it  was  not  lawful  to  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  sacrifices,  whose  blood  was  carried  into  the  sanctum^ 
for  sin,  but  to  burn  it  without  the  host;  so  it  was  unlawful  to 
eat  the*  blood,  which ^  was  the  cleansing  for  their  sins.  He 
therefore  did  eat  blood,  which  attributed  to  his  own  strength 
or  works  the  atonement  which  was  made  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  esteeming  his  blood  to  be  profane,  and  not  attributing 
unto  it  the  full  satisfaction  for  all  sins.  Again,  he  did  not 
eat,  but  pour  the  blood  down  at  the  altar,  who  did  ascribe 
the  benefit  of  our  redemption  to  the  only  merit  of  Christ, 
and  did  esteem  it  of  so  great  value  as  it  ought  by  right  to  be 
esteemed. 

Lastly,  God  would  have  it  deeply  printed  in  the  minds 
of  men,  that  no  man  should  shed  another's  blood,  nor  live  of 
the  blood  and  bowels  of  other  men  :  as  mercenary  soldiers, 
covetous  persons,  usurers,  and  cozeners  do,  in  sucking  out  and 
shedding  the  blood  of  silly  people  with  subtle  sleights  and 
open  injury.  And  God,  talking  with  Noah,  did  with  terrible 
threats^  beat  into  all  murderers  an  horrible  fear,  saying:  "  If  ^oen. ix. 
men  be  slack,  I  will  take  vengeance  upon  the  shedding  of 
blood."  For  man  was  made  to  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God  :  how  can  God  choose  then  but  take  the  reproach  as  done 
to  himself,  which  is  done  unto  his  image?     For  whosoever 

[3  in  sancta,  Lat. ;  into  the  holy  places.] 
[■*  blood,  not  the  blood.] 
[5  utpotc,  Lat. ;  inasmuch  as  it  was.] 
[8  et  rationibuB,  Lat. ;  and  reasons.] 


216  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sEUM. 

castetli  down  the  image  of  the  king,  he  offendeth  against  the 
king,  and  is  accused  of  treason. 

But  now  touching  strangled,  this  law  was  given:  "Eat  not 
[Kxod.xxii.  with  blood."      And  again,  "Eat  not  of  that  which  dieth  of 
24 ;  xfx.'aa]  itself,  nor  of  that  which  is  torn  with  wild  beasts,  &c."  But  by 
strangled  and  carrion  that  dieth  of  itself  are  signified  the 
dead  works,  from  which  he  is  bidden  to  purge  himself  ^  who- 
soever desircth  to  get  God's  favour.     He   therefore  did  eat 
strangled,  whosoever  did  live  in  wickedness,  without  repentance, 
not  regarding 2  the  blood  of  Christ  his  Saviour. 
The  touching         Now  also  the  touching  of  unclean  things  is  set  down  in  the 
things!^"      law  by  these  three  notes;  as  if  thou  touchest  an  unclean  thing, 
or  if  thou  bear  it,  or  if  it  fall  by  chance  into  some  vessel  or 
garment  of  thine.      He  verily  is  defiled  by  the  falling  of  a 
thing,  whosoever  sinneth  unwittingly.      But  he  sinneth  more 
heinously,  whosoever  sinneth^  willingly  and  of  a  set  and  pre- 
tended purpose*.     But  he  sinneth  most  grievously  of  all,  that 
upholdeth^  wickedness,  and  compelleth  other  to  commit  the 


But  whereas  in  touching,  and  in  other  places,  it  is  said 
that  the  uncleanness  shall  abide  till  evening;  that  is  an  evident 
prophecy  of  Christ,  to  wit,  that  the  Messiah  should  come  at 
evening,  that  is,  in  the  end  of  the  world,  to  purge  the  sins  of 
all  the  earth. 

I  have  enough,  and  long  enough,  thus  far  by  two  whole 
sermons  (I  pray  God  it  may  be  to  your  profit,  dearly  beloved) 
stayed  in  and  stuck  upon  the  ceremonial  laws  :  therefore,  that 
I  may  now  come  to  an  end,  I  will  bring  the  chief  points 
whereof  I  have  spoken  into  a  brief  sum.  I  did  divide  the 
whole  treatise  of  the  ceremonial  laws  into  three  especial 
branches :  for  I  spake  of  the  holy  persons,  of  the  holy  time 
and  place,  and  of  the  holy  things  which  the  holy  persons  did 
exercise  in  the  sacred  place ;  I  mean,  the  sacraments,  the 
sacrifices,  and  other  holy  ceremonies.  The  holy  persons  are 
the  priests  :  I  shewed  you  their  first  beginning,  their  ordering, 
their  mystical  apparel,  and  their  sundry  offices.  When  I  spake 
of  the  holy  time  and  place,  I  did  describe  unto  you  the  taber- 

[1  per  divinam  gratiam,  Lat. ;  by  the  grace  of  God.] 

[2  ncquc  magnopero  curabat,  Lat.] 

[^  sciens,  Lat.  omitted  ;  with  knowledge.] 

[•*  dcdita  opera,  Lat.]  p  dcfendit,  Lat.] 


VI.]  THE    CEREMONIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  217 

nacle,  and  noted  unto  you  what  was  within  the  tabernacle;  to 
wit,  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  golden  table,  the  golden 
candlestick,  the  altar  of  incense,  the  altar  of  burnt-sacrifices, 
and  the  brasen  laver :  the  mysteries  of  all  which  I  declared 
unto  you.  In  the  treatise  of  the  holy  time  I  touched  all  the 
kinds  of  holy-days  and  solemn  feast-days,  with  all  their  certain 
and  uncertain  holy-days.  Last  of  all,  in  our  discourse  upon 
the  holy  things*^,  I  told  you  of  the  two  sacraments  of  the  old 
church,  circumcision  and  the  passover ;  and  also  of  the  sacri- 
fices, whereof  some  were  burnt-offerings,  some  meat-offerings, 
some  peculiar,  and  some  of  thanksgiving "" ;  wherein  we  spake 
somewhat  also  touching  free-will-offerings  and  vowed  sacri- 
fices: finally  of  vows,  of  the  discipline^  of  tlie  Nazarites,  of  clean 
and  unclean  creatures,  of  the  choice  of  meats,  of  blood  and 
strangled,  and  of  the  touching  of  unclean  things. 

The  Lord  Jesus  enlighten  your  hearts,  that  all  this  may 
tend  to  the  glory  of  his  name,  and  the  health  of  your  souls  ! 
Amen. 


OF   THE   JUDICIAL   LAWS    OF   GOD. 
THE    SEVENTH    SERMON. 

In  prosecuting  the  treatise  of  God's  laws,  I  have  now 
lastly  to  speak  of  that  sort  which  are  called  the  judicial  laws ; 
of  which  I  will  entreat,  dearly  beloved,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  so 
far  forth  as  I  shall  be  persuaded  to  be  expedient  for  your 
edification.  This  treatise  will  not  be  unpleasant  nor  unpro-  Tiiejudimi 
fitable  to  every  zealous  hearer,  although  it  doth  specially  profi^'uie. 
belong  to  courts  of  law,  where  judgment  is  exercised ;  for 
the  judicial  laws  were  with  wonderful  faith  and  diligence  set 
out  of  God^  by  the  ministry  of  his  servant  JNloses ;  and  God 
is  not  wont  to  reveal  any  thing  to  mankind  with  so  precise 
and  exquisite  diligence,  unless  it  do  directly  tend  to  mankind's 
great  commodity. 

[•5  et  cultum  sacrum,  Lat. ;  and  upon  the  holy  worship.] 
[7  gratulatoria  scu  cucharistica,  Lat.] 
[8  vel  instituto,  Lat. ;  or  institution.] 

p  ab  Optimo  ct  sapientissimo  Deo,  Lat. ;  of  the  most  excellent 
and  most  wise  God.] 


218  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM- 

Now  although  these  judicial  laws  are  very  few  in  number, 
and  not  to  be  compared  in  multitude  with  the  huge  volumes  of 
the  laws  and  decrees  of  emperors,  kings,  and  wisest  sages ; 
yet  do  they  in  their  short  breviary  contain  the  chief  points 
of  judgment  and  justice,  and,  in  effect,  as  much  almost  as  is 
contained  in  the  books  of  the  laws  and  constitutions  of  the 
emperors  and  civil  lawyers.  The  good  Lord  would  not  by 
too  long  and  burdensome  a  pack  of  laws  be  too  burdenous  and 
troublesome  unto  his  people ;  neither  was  it  needful  over 
curiously  to  stick  upon  every  several  thought  of  ill-disposed 
persons :  it  is  sufficient  for  all  wise  men,  people,  and  nations, 
if  every  one  have  so  much  law  as  is  sufficient  for  the  conser- 
vation of  peace,  civil  honesty,  and  public  tranquillity  ;  as  all 
the  holy  scripture'  wltnesseth  that  the  people  of  Israel  had. 
Most  ancient  Now  thcso  judicial  laws  are  the  most  ancient,  and  very 
fountains  of  all  other  good  laws  which  are  to  be  found  almost 
in  all  the  world.  JSIoses  was  before  all  other  lawgivers  that 
were  of  name  and  authority :  among  whom  Mercurius^  Trls- 
meglstus  and  Rhadamanthus  the  Lyclan^  are  thought  to  be 
the  eldest.  The  Egyptians  called  their  Mercurius  by  the 
name  of  Thoth,  who,  as  Lactantius  affirmeth,  slew  Argus  that 
had  so  many  eyes,  and  upon  the  murder  fled  into  Egypt*. 
He wascaiied  Nqw  Argus  and  Atlas  lived  about  the  time  of  Cecrops  Diphyes ; 
ordu"iicir  ^^^  Cecrops  is  reported  to  have  been  in  the  same  time  that 
cause'h'e'first  Moscs  was^.  Rhadamanthus  also  is  supposed  to  have  lived 
mati'i^ony    after  the  days  of  Joshue,  Moses  his  servant  and  successor. 

among  the 

Grecians.  [1  uiiiversa  liistoria  sacra,  Lat. ;  all  the  sacred  history.] 

[2  He  is  by  Augustine  (de  Civit,  Dei,  Lib.  xvm.  cap.  8  and  39) 
made  a  late  contemporary  of  Moses.] 

[3  In  Euseb.  Chron.  a.m.  3765  are  placed  "  Rhadamanthus  et  Sar- 
pedon  reges  Lyciorum."  Moses  is  there  placed  from  a.m.  3608  to 
3728.  Augustine  (de  Civit.  Dei,  Lib.  xviii.  cap.  12.)  places  Rhada- 
manthus in  the  interval  between  the  Exodus  and  the  death  of  Joshua.] 

[•*  legislatorem  suum,  Lat. ;  their  lawgiver.  Lactantius,  on  the 
authority  of  Cicero  (de  Nat.  Deor.  Lib.  in.)  having  stated  that  there 
were  five  Mercuries,  says : — quintum  fuisse  cum,  a  quo  occisus  sit 
Argus:  ob  camque  causam  in  JEgyptum  profugisse;  atque  yEgyptiis 
leges  ac  literas  tradidisse.  Ilunc  J3gyptii  Thoth  appellant. — Lactant. 
Div.  Instit.  Lib.  i.  cap.  6.  pp.  29,  30.  Lugd.  Bat.  1660.] 

[6  Cecrops  is  placed  by  Abp.  Usher,  B.C.  1556,  a  little  after  the 
birth  of  Moses.  In  Euseb.  Chron.  under  date  A.M.  3615,  it  is  said: 
Quid  am  scribunt  Athlantem  fratrem  Promethei,  ct  Argum  cuncta  cer- 
nentem  his  fuisse  temporibus ;  alii  vcro  rotate  Cecropis  (i.  e.  a.m.  3640.)] 


Vir.]  THE    JUDICIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  219 

But  the  most   famous  lawgivers  of   the  greatest  and   most  His  image 
ancient  nations  did   follow   long  after   the   death   of  Closes ;  fLtes?or\Ivo" 
Draco    and    Solon    among    the   Athenians,    Minos   with   the 
Cretians,  Charondas  of  the  Tyrians  [Thurians],  Phoronaeus  to 
the  Argives,  Lycurgus  to  the  Lacedaemonians,  Pythagoras  to 
the  Italians,  Romulus  and  Numa  unto  the  Romans.     Plato  writ 
of  laws  a  little   before  the  reign  of  Philip,  king  of  Maccdon 
and  fiithcr  to  Alexander  the  Greaf.      And  Cicero,  Lib.  n.  de 
Legibus,  saith  :  "  I  see  therefore  that  the  opinion  of  the  wisest 
sort  was,  that  law  was  neither  invented  by  men's  wits,  nor  yet 
was  the  decree  or  ordinance  of  people ;  but  a  certain  eternal 
thing,  ruling  the  whole  world  with  discretion  to  command  or 
forbid,  to  do  or  leave  undone.      So  they  said  that  the  chief 
and  highest  law  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  which  commandeth  or  The  Latin 
forbiddeth  all  things  by  reason.      Whereupon  that  law,  which  nieritem  oei, 
the  gods  have  given  to  mankind,  is  rightly  commended  :  for  it  J^,^f({J„n  of 
is  the  reason  and  discretion  of  the  wise  which  is  able  either  to  ^°'*- 
command  or  else  forbid;"  and  so  forth '^.    Therefore  the  judicial 
laws  of  God  are  commended  unto  us,  not  so  much  for  their 
antiquity,  as  for  the  authority  which  they  have  of  God. 

Now  that  we  may  plainly  and  distinctly  discourse  upon  Tojudge, 
this  matter,  ye  have  to  mark,  that  to  judge  is  an  action  ;  and  fud"me^nt, 

,.  .         .  ,  I.  .  ,®         .  ,  ^antttheju- 

m  this  treatise  is  taken  lor  an  action  done  in  the  courts  of  ditiii  laws 

«       .        .        .  ^      ,  .  v<-h3.t  they  be. 

judgment :  for  it  signineth  to  take  up  and  determine  of  matters 
betwixt  such  as  be  at  variance,  or  else  upon  the  hearing 
of  a  cause  to  give  sentence  or  judgment.  Finally,  to  judge 
doth  signify,  to  deliver  them  that  be  in  danger,  to  relieve  the 
oppressed,  to  defend  the  afflicted,  and  with  punishment  to 
keep  under  mischievous  offenders.  Judgment,  therefore,  is 
not  the  sitting  or  meeting  of  judges  in  assizes  or  sessions ; 
but  is  rather  the  very  diligent  discussing  of  causes,  the  giving 
of  sentence  according  to  right  and  equity  by  the  laws  of  God, 
and  also  the  assertion  and  defence  whereby  the  good  are 
delivered,  and  the  punishment  that  is  executed  upon  the  ill- 

[c  Draco,  B.C.  624.  Solon,  594.  IMinos  is  placed  by  Euseb.  Cliron. 
thirty  years  later  than  Rhadamanthus.  Charondas  at  Thurium,  446. 
Phoroncus  is  placed  in  Euseb.  Chron.  about  the  110th  year  of  Isaac's 
age.  Lycurgus,  884.  Pythagoras,  547.  Romulus,  753.  Numa,  715. 
Plato  de  Legibus,  cir.  367.  See  also  Polydor.  Vergil,  de  rcr.  invent. 
Lib.  ir.  cap.  1 ;  and  Augustin.  de  Civit.  Dei.  Lib.  xvnr.  cap.  3,  8,  25.] 

[7  Cic.  de  Legib.  Lib.  n.  cap.  4.] 


The  judicial 
laws  belong 
to  the  ten 
command 


220  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

disposed  and  wicked  offenders.  The  judges  are  the  over- 
seers of  judgment  and  justice ;  I  mean,  such  as  do  justly 
according  to  the  laws  give  sentence  betwixt  them  that  are  at 
discord,  which  do  defend  and  deliver  the  good,  and  punish 
and  bridle  the  wicked.  And  so  the  judicial  laws  are  those 
which  inform  the  judges  how  to  determine  of  controversies  and 
questions,  how  to  judge  justly,  how  to  punish  the  wicked,  and 
how  to  defend  the  good,  that  peace,  honesty,  justice,  and 
public  tranquillity  may  be  among  all  men ;  which  is  the  end 
and  mark  alone  whereto  both  the  judge  and  all  the  judicial 
laws  do  tend  and  are  directed.  For  God,  our  good  Lord  and 
lawgiver,  would  have  it  to  go  well  with  man,  that  we  may  live 
happily,  civilly,  and  in  tranquillity.  And  therefore  we  do  not 
in  this  treatise  exclude  the  care  and  defence  of  pure  rehgion, 
but  do  make  it  one  of  the  especial  points  which  the  judicial 
laws  do  look  unto. 

And  now  even  as  the  ceremonial  laws,  so  also  are  the 
judicial  laws  added  by  God  unto  the  ten  commandments,  to 

ments'r""'  oxpouud  and  confirm  them  therewithal.  For  the  precepts 
of  the  ten  commandments  are  the  chief  and  principal  precepts, 
whereunto  we  must  refer  all  laws,  as  to  the  eternal  mind  or 
will  of  God.  I  think  I  need  not  to  stand  and  shew  you, 
dearly  beloved,  to  what  precepts  of  the  ten  commandments 
every  several  judicial  law  is  to  be  referred :  for  that  is 
very  plain  and  evident  to  every  one  that  will  take  but  small 
pains  to  confer  and  lay  them  together.  For  the  judicial 
laws  that  are  set  out  against  murder  and  injury  are  apper- 
taining to  this  precept :  "  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder."  And 
whatsoever  is  spoken  against  adultery,  fornication,  and  filthy 
lusts,  are  added  to  the  commandment :  "  Thou  shalt  not 
commit  adultery."  Likewise,  whatsoever  is  said  in  the  ju- 
dicial laws  against  deceits,  shifts,  cozenings,  and  usury,  do 
belong  to  the  commandment :  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal."  Lastly, 
all  the  laws  touching  the  bridling  of  heretics  and  suppressing 
of  apostates  by  force  arc  set  down  to  make  plain  the  first, 
second,  third,  and  fourth  commandments  of  the  first  table : 
for  some  laws  may  be  applied  to  more  precepts  than  one  of 
the  ten  commandments.  But  this  is  easy  and  plain  to  bo 
perceived  of  every  man :  therefore  I  will  not  stand  any 
longer  about  it. 

TJ^j<',|,']^^sof  jv^Q^  fQj.  because  the  judicial  laws  do  first  of  all  require 


VII.]  THE    JUDICIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD'.  221 

judges,  such,  I  mean,  as  should  maintain  and  put  the  laws  in 
execution  (for  the  laws  without  executors  seem  to  be  dead, 
and  on  the  other  side  are  alive  under  a  just  magistrate,  who 
is  for  that  cause  called  the  Hving  law');  therefore  before  all 
other  laws  are  placed  those  judicial  laws  which  were  given 
by  God  touching  the  magistrate  or  judges,  with  their  office 
and  election.  Of  their  election  thus  we  read:  "Bring  ye,"  [Oeut. i. n.] 
saith  Moses  to  the  people,  "  men  of  wisdom  and  of  under- 
standing, and  expert",  according  to  your  tribes,  and  I  will 
make  them  rulers  over  you."  Again:  "  I  will  make  thee^  toeut.  xvi. 
rulers  and  judges  to  judge  the  people,  according  to  thy 
tribes,  in  all  thy  cities  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee." 
And  yet  again  more  plainly:  "  Seek"  (saith  Jethro,  being  [Exod.  xviu. 
inspired  from  above,  unto  Moses)  "  out  of  all  the  people  men  "* ' 
of  courage,  and  such  as  fear  God,  true  men,  hating  covetous- 
ness,"  (to  wit,  such  as  hate  to  take  money  and  bribes),  "  and 
make  of  them  over  the  people  rulers  of  thousands,  rulers  of 
hundreds,  rulers  of  fifties,  and  rulers  of  tens :  and  let  them 
judge  the  people  at  all  seasons.  AVhich  if  thou  dost,  thou 
shalt  both  keep  the  ordinances  of  GodS  and  the  people  in 
peace  and  safety."  To  this  doth  belong  that  which  we  read 
in  the  book  of  Numbers,  where  Moses  prayed,  saying  :  *'  Let  [Num.  xxvu. 
the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh  set  a  man  over  this  con-  ^'"~ 
gregation,  which  may  go  out  and  in  before  them ;  that  the 
congregation  of  the  Lord  be  not  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd.'*" 
Herein  Moses  hath  left  an  example  for  us  to  imitate,  in 
making  our  prayers  to  God  for  the  election  of  our  judges. 
For  oftentimes  our  opinions  or  judgments  of  men  do  utterly 
deceive  us ;  but  the  God  of  spirits  doth  behold  the  minds 
and  hearts,  and  knoweth  what  every  one  is  in  thoughts  and 
inward  meaning  ^  He  therefore  must  be  besought  to  give 
and  shew  to  us  not  hypocrites  to  be  our  judges,  but  men  of 
truth  and  virtue.  In  the  same  place  doth  Moses  leave  to  us 
the  description  of  consecrating  new  chosen  judges :  for  they 
■were  set  before  the  Lord,  and   hands  were  laid  upon  them 

[1  See  Vol.  I.  p.  339.] 

[2  spoctatfc  probitatis  viros,  Lat.  ;  men  of  tried  probity.     Heb.  and 
Auth.  Vcr.  known.     Vulg.  quorum  convcrsatio  sit  probata.] 

[3  Constitues  tibi,  Lat. ;  thou  sbalt  make  thco.] 

[^  scrvabis  instituta  Dei,  Lat. ;  iinplebis  imperiuin  Dei,  et  proccepta 
ejus  poteris  sustcntare,  Vulg.] 

[5  intus  ct  in  cute,  Lat.] 


222  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

•with  making  of  prayers  and  supplications.  Moreover  the 
office  of  judge  is  very  briefly,  but  yet  in  most  effectual  and 
absolute  sentences,   described  of  the  Lord,  by  the  mouth  of 

Deut.  L 16,  Moses,  in  these  words :  "  Hear  the  causes  of  your  brethren, 
and  judge  righteously  betwixt  every  man  and  his  brother, 
and  the  stranger  that  is  with  him.  Ye  shall  have  no  respect 
of  any  person^  in  judgment :  but  hear  the  small  and  the  great 
alike ;  and  fear  not  the  face  of  any  man :  for  the  judgment 

Deut.xvi.  is  God's,"  Again:  "Judge  the  people  with  just  judgment. 
Decline  not  in  judgment^:  have  no  respect  of  persons,  neither 
take  thou  any  bribes ;  for  rewards  do  blind  the  eyes  of  the 
wise,  and  doth  pervert  just  causes.  Do  judgment  with  jus- 
tice, that  thou  mayest  live,  and  possess  the  land  which  the 

Lev.  xix.  Lord  thy  God  shall  give  thee."  And  again  :  "  Do  no  unjust 
thing  in  judgment;  accept  not  the  face  of  the  poor,  neither 
fear  thou  the  face  of  the  mighty,  but  judge  thou  justly  unto 
thy  neighbour."  Again  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  have  to  do  with 
a  false  report ;  thou  shalt  not  follow  a  multitude  to  do  evil ; 
neither  shalt  thou  speak  in  a  matter  of  justice  according  to 
the  greater  number  for  to  pervert  judgment :""  that  is,  if  thou 
seest  an  innocent  to  be  condemned  of  the  multitude,  do  not 
thou  therefore  condemn  him  because  the  multitude  hath  con- 
demned him  ;  but  judge  thou  justly,  and  commit  not  evil 
because  of  the  many  voices  of  the  multitude.  "  Thou  shalt 
not  esteem  a  poor  man  in  his  cause :  neither  shalt  thou  hinder 
the  poor  of  his  right  in  his  suit.  Keep  thee  far  from  a  false 
matter ;  and  the  innocent  and  righteous  see  that  thou  slay 
not^  Thou  shalt  not  oppress  the  stranger  ;  seeing  ye  your- 
selves were  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt." 

And  God  verily,  when  he  had  delivered  the  people  from 
the  tyranny  of  the  kings  of  Egypt,  did  not  put  them  in  sub- 
jection to  kings  again,  nor  burden  them  with  the  tributes 
which  kings  are  wont  to  exact  of  their  subjects :  for  he  made 
them  a  commonweal,  or  an  aristocracy,  which  was  the  most 
excellent  kind  of  regiment,  Avherein  the  choicest  men  in  all 

[1  non  agnoscetis  facies,  Lat. ;  yo  shall  not  ackuowlcdgo  faces, 
Auth.  Ver.  Marg.] 

[2  no  flectas  judicium,  Lat. ;  thou  shalt  not  wrest  judgment.  Auth. 
Ver,] 

[3  Non  enim  justificabo  impiura,  Lat.  omitted  by  the  translator; 
for  I  will  not  justify  tho  wicked.] 


-3,  6, 7, 9.] 


The  institu- 
tion of  a 
king  and  of 
princes. 


VII.]  THE    JUDICIAL    LAWS    OF    UOD.  223 

the  multitude  were  picked  out  to  bear  the  sway  and  to  rule 
the  rest :  but  yet  because  he  was  not  ignorant  of  his  people's 
foolishness,  and  that  they,  being  weary  of  their  liberty,  would 
crave  a  king  (which  thing  he  did  afterward  also  dissuade 
them  from*  by  his  servant  Samuel),  he  made  laws  for  a  king  isam  vui. 
also,  that  he  might  understand  that  he  was  to  live  under  the 
laws,  and  to  give  judgment  according  to  the  laws.  The  dis- 
cipline or  institution  of  a  king  is  thus  expressed  in  the  seven- 
teenth chapter  of  Deuteronomy  :  "  When  thou  art  come  into 
the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  givcth  thee,  and  shalt  say, 
I  will  set  a  king  over  me,  like  as  all  the  nations  that  are 
about  me  ;  then  thou  shalt  make  him  king  over  thee,  whom 
the  Lord  thy  God  shall  choose.  One  from  among  the  midst 
of  thy  brethren  shalt  thou  make  king  over  thee ;  and  thou 
mayest  not  set  a  stranger  over  thee,  which  is  not  of  thy 
brethren.  But  he  shall  not  gather  many  horses  unto  himself, 
nor  bi'ing  the  people  back  again  into  Egypt,  to  increase  the 
number  of  horses ; "  that  is,  to  get  himself  a  strong  troop  of 
horsemen  :  "forasmuch  as  the  Lord  hath  said,  Ye  shall  hence- 
forth go  no  more  again  that  way.  Also  let  him  not  take 
many  wives  to  himself,  lest  his  heart  turn  away  :  neither  let 
him  gather  too  much  silver  and  gold.  And  when  he  is  set 
upon  the  seat  of  his  kingdom,  he  shall  write  him  out  a  copy 
of  this  law  in  a  book,  according  to  the  copy  of  the  book 
which  the  priests  the  Levites  do  use :  and  it  shall  be  with 
him,  and  he  ought  to  read  therein  all  the  days  of  his  life; 
that  he  may  learn  to  fear  the  Lord  his  God,  and  to  keep  all 
the  words  of  this  law,  and  these  ordinances,  for  to  do  them. 
And  let  not  his  heart  arise  above  his  brethren,  neither  let 
him  turn  from  the  commandment,  cither  to  the  right  hand  or 
to  the  left ;  that  he  may  prolong  his  days  in  his  kingdom, 
both  he,  and  his  sons,  in  the  midst  of  Israel." 

Thus  much  hitherto  of  the  magistrates,  of  judges,  and  of 
kings. 

Now  I  suppose  that  in  this  institution  of  a  king  all  things 
are  contained,  which  are  most  largely  set  out  by  other  authors 
touching  the  discipline  and  education  of  a  prince.  And  by 
the  way  this  is  especially  to  be  noted ;  that  kings  are  not  set 
as  lords  and  rulers  over  the  word  and  laws  of  God ;  but  arc, 

[*  multis  ot  validis  rationibus,  Lat.  omitted ;  with  many  and  power- 
ful reasons.] 


224:  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

as  subjects,  to  be  judged  of  God  by  the  word,  as  they  that 
ought  to  rule  and  govern  all  things  according  to  the  rule  of 
his  word  and  commandment. 

And  here  I  have  to  rehearse  unto  you  some  of  the  judicial 
laws ;  I  mean,  not  all  and  every  several  one,  but  those  alone 
which  are  the  chief  and  choicest  to  be  noted :  by  which  ye 
may  consider  of  the  rest,  and  plainly  perceive,  that  the  people 
of  Israel  were  not  destitute  of  any  law  which  was  necessary 
and  profitable  for  their  good  state  and  welfare.  I  will  recite 
them  unto  you  as  briefly  as  may  be,  and  in  as  natural  and 
plain  an  order  as  possibly  can  be. 

Holy  things.  Of  the  lioly  buildings,  of  the  not  making  away  of  such 

things  as  were  consecrated  to  the  Lord,  and  finally,  of  the 
maintaining  and  publishing  of  true  religion,  there  is  large 
speech  everywhere  throughout  the  whole  scripture.  Neither 
do  I  think  it  to  be  greatly  to  the  purpose  word  by  word  to 
recite  all  the  laws,  nor  particularly  to  make  mention  of  all 
the  commandments  touching  those  matters.  Verily,  of  the 
heathen,  and  of  the  overthrowing  of  their  temples  and  super- 
stitious holy  toys,  this  commandment  is  briefly  given  by  the 

[Deut. vu.  Lord  himself:  "When  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  cast  out  many 
nations  before  thee,  thou  shalt  root  them  out ;  neither  shalt 
thou  make  league  with  them,  nor  pity  them,  nor  join  affinity 
with  them  :  because  they  will  seduce  thy  sons  to  serve  strange 
gods ;  and  so  my  fury  wax  hot  against  thee,  and  I  destroy 
thee.  But  this  shalt  thou  do  to  them :  ye  shall  dig  down 
their  altars,  ye  shall  break  their  idols\  ye  shall  cut  down 
their  groves,  and  burn  their  images  with  fire.  For  an  holy 
people  art  thou  unto  the  Lord  thy  God ;  and  the  Lord  thy 
God  hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  himself." 
The  same  law  is  set  down  in  the  twenty-third  of  Exodus,  and 
is  again  repeated  in  the  twelfth  of  Deuteronomy.     Hereunto 

Idolatry.  bclong  the  laws  that  were  published  against  idols  and  images. 
In  the  nineteenth  of  Leviticus  the  Lord  saith:  "Look  not  back 
to  idols,  neither  make  you  molten  gods :  I  am  the  Lord  your 
God."  Also  in  the  twenty-sixth  chapter  :  "Ye  shall  make  you 
no  idols  nor  graven  image,  neither  rear  you  up  any  pillar, 
neither  shall  ye  set  you  up  any  image  of  stone- in  your  land, 

[1  statuas,  Lat. ;  statues,  or  pillars.  Auth.  Vcr.  Marg.] 
[2  lapidem  figuratum,  Lat. ;  a  stone  of  picture,  or  figured  stone. 
Auth.  Ver.  Marg.] 


VII.]  THE     JUDICIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  225 

to  bow  clown  unto  it:  for  I  am  the  Lord  your  God."  Again 
in  the  sixteenth  of  Deuteronomy  :  "Thoushalt  plant  no  grovo 
of  any  trees  nigh  unto  the  altar  of  the  Lord  thy  God  :  neither 
shalt  thou  set  thee  up  any  image,  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
hateth."  There  are,  beside  these,  also  many  other  laws  to 
this  end  and  purpose  in  every  place  through  all  the  volume  of 
the  scriptures. 

Of  the  AvcU  handling  and  entreating  of  the  poor,  of  widows^,  The  poor, 
of  orphans,  and  strangers,  the  Lord  giveth  this  commandment: 
"Ye  shall  not  afflict  the  widow,  nor  the  fatherless.  But  if  ye  [Kxod.  xxii. 
go  on  to  afflict  them,  without  doubt  they  shall  cry  to  me,  and 
I  will  assuredly  hear  them,  and  will  be  angry  with  you,  and 
will  slay  you  with  the  sword,  and  your  wives  shall  be  widows, 
and  your  children  fatherless."  To  this  belongeth  a  good  part 
of  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  In  the  twenty-fourth 
chapter  the  Lord  saith  :  "Do  not  pervert  the  judgment  of  the 
stranger,  of  the  fatherless,  and  of  the  widow,  llcmember 
that  thou  wast  a  stranger  in  the  land  of  Egypt." 

Of  the  receivino:  and  refusing  of  witnesses  and  their  wit-  witness  ana 
ness-bearmgs  in  judgment  these  few  notes  are  given  in  the  '"b"'- 
law:    "One  witness    shall  not  be   of  force  against  a   man,  [pent. xsx. 
whatsoever  his  sin  or  offence  shall  be  :  but  in  the  mouth  of 
two  or  three  witnesses  shall  every  word  be  established.      If  a 
false  witness  rise  up  against  a  man,  to  accuse  him  of  trespass, 
the  judges  shall  make  diligent  inquisition;   and  if  they  find 
that  the  witness  hath  borne  false  witness  against  his  brother, 
then  shall  they  do  to  him  as  he  had  thouglit  to  have  done  to 
his  brother ;  and   thou  shalt  put  evil  away  from  out  of  the 
midst  of  thee." 

Now,  for  the  oath  which  the  judges  have  to  exact,  or 
they  that  are  at  variance,  or  else  the  witnesses,  have  to  take, 
that  doth  the  Lord  command  to  be  done  by  the  calling  to 
record  of  his  holy  Name,  and  that  too  of  none  other  but  his 
name  alone.      Deuteron.  x.  &c. 

iMoreover,  that  in  eflFect  is  a  kind  of  appeal,  where  Moses  Anappwi. 
doth  so  often  bid  the  judges  in  an  hard  and  doubtful  matter 
to  have  recourse  unto  the  high  priest,  and  so,  as  it  were,  to 
God  himself,  or  the  oracle  of  God,  for  the  declaration  of  the 
same ;  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  Exodus, 
and  in  the  first  and  seventeenth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy. 
[•■'  pupillis,  Lut.  omitted  ;  fatherless.] 

[bulling Ei;,  ii.J 


226 


THE    THIKD    DECADE. 


[sEKM. 


Marriage. 


[Deut.  vi 
6-9.] 


Of  lawful  wedlock,  against  incestuous  and  unprofitable 
marriages,  and  also  of  the  degrees  of  consanguinity  and  affinity, 
there  are  exquisite  precepts  as  well  in  the  eighteenth  chapter 
of  Leviticus,  as  also  in  other  places  of  the  books  of  Moses. 
Verily,  where  lawful  marriages  are  not,  there  is  no  matrimony : 
therefore  the  children  that  are  so  born  are  counted  bas- 
tards ;  neither  is  there  for  them  any  dowries  or  inheritance. 

The  Lord  in  many  places  of  his  law  doth  charge  parents 
to  bring  up  their  children  honestly,  and  to  instruct  them  in 
the  fear  of  God.  Among  the  rest  he  saith  :  "The  words  which 
I  command  thee  this  day  thou  shalt  shew  unto  thy  children, 
and  shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  art  at  home  in  thine  house, 
and  as  thou  walkest  by  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest  down, 
and  when  thou  risest  up.  And  thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a 
sign  upon  thine  hand,  and  they  shall  be  as  frontlets  betwixt 
thine  eyes ;  and  thou  shalt  write  them  upon  the  posts  of  thine 
house,  and  upon  thy  gates,  &c." 

Again,  for  the  honouring,  reverencing,  and  nourishing  of 
parents,  there  are  not  in  the  moral  law  only,  but  also  in  the 
judicial  laws,  some  things  set  down  wherein  the  honour  and 
duty  to  be  given  to  parents  is  diligently  commended  to  all 
sorts  of  people :  of  which  I  will  speak  when  I  come  to  treat 
of  parricide,  under  which  title  I  do  comprehend  the  evil  hand- 
ling and  naughty  demeanour  of  men  to  their  parents. 

Now,  how  great  the  authority  of  fathers  over  their  chil- 
dren was,  we  may  conjecture  by  that  especially,  where,  in  the 
twenty-first  of  Exodus,  it  is  permitted  to  the  father,  that  is  in 
poverty,  to  sell  his  daughter.  Again,  in  another  place,  leave 
is  given  to  the  father  either  to  deny,  or  else  to  give,  his  de- 
flowered daughter  in  marriage  to  him  that  did  defile  her.  And 
again,  it  was  in  the  father's  power  to  break  the  vow^  which 
the  child  had  made  without  his  knowledge  or  consent,  Num- 

Disiuheriting.  bcrs  XXX.  But  that  to  disinherit  the  children  (if  the  children 
had  not  deserved  it,  but  that  some  corrupt  afl^ection  had 
blinded  the  parents)  lay  not  in  the  power  or  will  of  the 
parents,  that  law  doth  shew,  which  is  published  in  the  twenty- 
first  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  ;  and  doth  forbid  the  father  to 
place  the  second  in  the  right  of  his  eldest  or  first-begotten 
son. 

Inheritance.  Conccming  tlio  comiug  to  inheritance,  and  the  succession 

[1  Deo  nuncupatum,  liat. ;  inado  to  God.] 


Of  the  power 
andautnority 
of  fathers. 


[Exod.  xxii. 
16, 17.] 


VII.]  THE     .ILDIUIAL    LAWS     OF     GOD.  227 

of  goods,  01"  the  lawful  succession  by  kindred,  there  is  a  pre- 
cise law  in  the  twenty-seventh  chapter  of  the  Look  of  Numbers. 
There  is  set  down  the  case  of  the  daughters  of  Zelphad,  who 
did  request  that  their  father's  name  should  not  be  wiped  out, 
but  that  their  father's  inheritance  and  name  might  be  given 
unto  and  still  remain  with  them.  Upon  that  occasion  was  the 
law  made,  that  if  the  sons  did  die,  the  heritage  should  be  con- 
veyed over  and  given  to  the  daughters,  or,  at  leastwise,  to 
those  that  were  nearest  of  affinity.  And  thereunto  belongeth 
the  law  of  -raising  seed  unto  the  deceased  brother,  and  the 
whole  thirty-sixth  chapter  almost  of  the  book  of  Numbers. 
Upon  this  law  also  doth  hang  the  right  which  cometh  by 
adoption. 

Furthermore,  of  whoredoms,  adulteries,  and  the  ravishing  whoredom 
of  virgins,  there  are  many  profitable,  honest,  and  wholesome  ^°'*  ^'^'^'^'^• 
laws.  In  the  twenty-third  of  Deuteronomy  it  is  said,  "  There 
shall  be  no  whore  of  the  dau2;hters  of  Israel,  nor  whoremonser 
of  the  sons  of  Israel."  And  in  the  same  place  he  forbiddeth 
to  bring  oblations  which  are  the  price  of  an  harlot's  hire.  In 
Leviticus  charge  is  given,  saying  :  "  Set  not  out  thy  daughter  [Lev.  xix. 
for  hire,  to  make  her  play  the  harlot;  lest  the  land  be  de- 
filed, and  filled  with  sin."  Therefore,  in  the  twenty-second 
of  Deuteronomy,  the  maid  that  was  deflowered,  and  yet  feigned 
herself  to  be  a  virgin  still,  when  she  was  given  to  an  husband, 
was  commanded  to  be  stoned  to  death  before  the  doors  of 
her  father's  house ;  to  the  end  that  parents,  being  terrified 
with  so  grievous  a  thing,  might  be  stirred  up  to  look  more 
warily  unto  their  children.  In  the  twenty-second  of  Exodus 
this  law  is  given:  "If  a  man  entice  a  maid  that  is  not  be- 
trothed, and  lie  with  her,  he  shall  endow  her  and  take  her  to 
-wife."  There  are  most  sharp  laws  against  whoredoms  and 
adulteries,  Deuteronomy  xxii. ;  for  there  adulterers  are  pun- 
ished with  death.  The  same  punishment  was  appointed  for 
him  that  did  by  violence  ravish  a  virgin. 

For  suspicions  and  jealousy  there  are  rules  given  in  the 
fifth  chapter  of  Numbers.  Against  detestable,  unlawful,  and 
altogether  devilish  lusts,  there  are  most  severe  and  yet  most 
just  laws  expressed ;  as  against  most  filthy  incest,  abominable 
sodomy,  horrible  and  unnatural  bestiality,  and  such  sins  as 
God  hath  cursed,  and  are  not  once  worthy  to  be  named  among 
men.      Levit.  eighteenth  and  twentieth  chapters. 

15 — 2 


228 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


[Matt.  xix. 


Buying  and 
selling,  &C. 


Pawns  and 

liledgcs. 

i  Kxod   xxii. 

2a,  27.  J 


[Deut.  xxiv. 


Things  left 
in  custody. 


Divorcements  and  separations  were  permitted  by  the  law 
in  the  twenty-fourth  of  Deuteronomy,  for  nothing  else  but 
for  the  hardness  of  the  Jewish  people's  hearts,  and  for  the 
avoiding  of  some  greater  inconvenience;  to  wit,  lest  perad- 
venture  any  man  should  poison,  strangle,  or  otherwise  kill  the 
woman,  his  wife,  which  he  hated,  when  he  could  by  none  other 
means  rid  his  hands  of  her.  And  they  that  were  in  that 
manner  divorced  might  at  their  pleasures  be  married  to 
others. 

Moreover,  that  justice  might  be  maintained,  and  that 
every  man  might  enjoy  his  own,  in  the  law  there  was  charge 
very  diligently  given  for  the  division  of  things,  for  the  parti- 
tion of  the  land  of  promise  by  equal  portions,  and  for  the 
peculiar  possession  of  proper  goods ;  that  to  every  tribe  pos- 
sessions might  be  given  by  lot,  and  that  no  man  should  by  any 
means  make  away  the  possessions  which  were  given  him.  For 
hereunto  belongeth  that  which  is  spoken  by  Moses  in  the 
thirty-second,  thirty-third,  thirty-fourth  chapters  of  the  book 
of  Numbers,  and  oftentimes  in  other  places  also. 

And  yet  notwithstanding,  this  law  was  nothing  prejudicial 
to  traffic  by  exchange.  For  there  were  many  and  very  upright 
laws  published  for  buying  and  selling,  for  letting  and  hiring, 
for  borrowing  and  lending,  for  usury  and  things  left  in  custody. 
Whosoever  desireth  to  see  the  places  in  the  law,  he  shall  have 
them  in  the  twenty-fifth  of  Leviticus,  in  the  twenty-second  of 
Exodus,  in  the  fifteenth  and  twenty-third  chapters  of  Deute- 
ronomy. And  I  suppose  that  to  this  is  to  be  referred  the 
law  which  is  given  concerning  pawns  or  pledges :  "  If  thou 
hast  taken  thy  neighbour's  garment  to  pledge,  thou  shalt 
restore  it  him  again  before  the  sun  be  set.  For  that  is  his 
only  covering:*"  that  is,  it  is  the  garment  wherewith  he 
covereth  his  flesh,  and  wherein  he  sleepeth.  "For  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  if  he  cry  to  me,  I  will  hear  him  ;  because  I 
am  merciful."  Again;  "Thou  shalt  not  take  the  nether  or 
upper  mill-stone  to  pledge :  for  he  hath  laid  that  whereon  he 
liveth  to  pledge  to  thee." 

The  laws  for  things  loft  in  custody,  or  committed  to  the 
credit  of  another  man,  and  for  taking  of  oaths,  commandeth 
every  man  to  make  true  restitution  of  the  thing  which  was 
given  unto  him  to  keep.  But  if  it  were  stolen  away  from 
him  to  whom  the  custody  of  it  was  committed,  then  he  that 


VII.]  THE     JUDICIAL    LAWS     OF     GOD.  229 

kept  it  ought  to  purge  himself  by  an  oath  before  a  magistrate, 
to  shew  that  he  consented  not  to  the  conveying  of  the  thing 
away.  The  same  order  is  commanded  to  be  observed  in 
things  borrowed,  that  are  lost,  or  otherwise  broken  :  as  is  to 
be  seen  in  the  twenty-second  chapter  of  Exodus. 

And  for  because  it  is  manifest  that  no  small  part  of  the  Bondage, 
goods  of  the  ancient  Israelites  did  consist  in  the  multitude  of 
bondmen,  therefore  the  law  of  God  doth  stick  long  upon  the 
discourse  of  bondage  and  bondmen,  and  of  the  binding  and 
manumission  of  them.  And  yet  it  doth  diligently  command 
to  handle  bondmen  mercifully  like  men,  and  every  sixth  year^ 
to  set  them  free  from  slavery.  But  if  it  so  fell  out,  that  at  iiancipation. 
the  sixth  year's  end  any  bondman  were  desirous  to  stay  still 
in  his  master's  house,  he  was  permitted  so  to  do,  upon  con- 
dition that  his  voluntary  bondage  should  be  confirmed  by  the 
ceremony  of  mancipation ;  to  wit,  that  the  bondman,  being  [^^-  ""'• 
brought  before  the  judges,  should  there  testify  that  he  would 
serve  in  bondage  voluntarily  ;  and  thereupon  the  nether  lap 
of  his  ear  should  be  bored  with  an  awl,  and  fastened  to  the 
door.  And  that  was  the  sign  or  token  of  faith  and  obedi- 
ence. For  David,  alluding  thereunto,  did  say,  that  the  Lord 
had  bored  through  his  ear,  that  is,  that  by  faith  he  had 
bound  him  to  obedience. 

Moreover,  the  Lord  did  in  these  laws  limit  out  the  time  Mamimis- 
of  bondmen's  manumission,  because  the  lords  of  bondmen 
should  not  use  them  over-cruelly  for  their  gain  and  commo- 
dity's sake  :  all  which  are  at  full  set  down  in  the  twenty-first 
chapter  of  Exodus.  We  must  also  refer  that  to  the  clemency 
that  ought  to  be  shewed  to  servants,  where  as  in  the  twenty- 
third  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  it  is  said  :  "  Thou  shalt  not 
deliver  unto  his  master  the  servant  which  is  escaped  from  his 
master  unto  thee  ;  but  let  him  dwell  in  any  place  whereunto 
he  is  fled."  And  yet  manstealing  is  most  sharply  forbidden. 
Now  they  commit  the  offence  called  Plagium  2,  that  is  to  say,  pugium. 
mansteahng,  whosoever  do  entice  other  men's  bondmen  to 
run  from  their  masters,  or  which  do,  by  theft  or  robbery, 
steal  other  men's  servants,  whom  they  do  either  keep  to 
themselves,  or  else  sell  to  others.  Against  such  this  law  is 
given  :  "  Whosoever  stealeth  a  man,  and  selleth  him,  if  he  be  [K' 

[1  sexennio  finite,  L;it.] 
[-  See  aV>ove,  page  47.] 


Exod. 

'  -J 


230 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


Theft  and 

deceit. 

Restitution. 


Sacrilege. 


The  hireling's 
wages. 
[Deut  xxiv. 

14,  15.] 


The  doing 
and  receiving 
of  damage. 

[Exod.  xxi. 
3.),  34.] 


couvlncecl  of  the  crime,  let  him  die  the  death."  And  the  same 
law  is  again  repeated  in  the  twenty-fourth  of  Deuteronomy. 

Of  free  men  little  is  said  in  the  law ;  but  they  were  ex- 
empted from  bearing  office  in  the  commonwealth,  which  were 
known  to  be  harlots'"  children,  whose  fathers^  no  man  knew. 
Strangers  also,  as  the  Ammonites  and  Moabites,'were  utterly 
barred  from  rule  and  authority  in  the  Israelitish  weal  public. 
Deuteronomy  xxiii. 

All  deceit,  cozening,  robbery,  shiftings,  and  subtil  crafts, 
are  flatly  forbidden  in  the  law  under  the  title  of  theft.  For 
in  the  nineteenth  of  Leviticus  we  read  :  "  Ye  shall  not  steal, 
nor  deal  falsely,  nor  lie  one  to  another."  And  in  the  nine- 
teenth of  Deuteronomy  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  remove  thy  neigh- 
bour's meerstone^."  In  the  twenty-second  of  Exodus  the 
Lord  doth  punish  theft  with  four  or  five-fold  double  resti- 
tution :  which  whosoever  did  not  perform,  he  was  sold,  and 
brought  into  extreme  bondage.  But  if  the  stolen  thing  were 
found  with  the  thief,  and  recovered  again,  then  did  the  stealer 
restore  to  the  owner  double  the  value  of  that  which  was 
stolen.  To  this  law  belonged  whatsoever  was  spoken  con- 
cerning sacrilege,  stealing  of  cattle,  robbing  of  the  common 
treasury,  and  carrying  away  of  other  men's  bond-slaves ;  of 
which  I  spake  somewhat  a  little  before ^  And  to  this  doth 
appertain  that  excellent  law  whicli  saith  :  "  Thou  shalt  not 
deny,  nor  keep  back,  the  wages  of  an  hired  servant  that  is 
poor  and  needy,  whether  he  be  of  thy  brethren,  or  of  the 
strangers  that  are  within  thy  land ;  thou  shalt  give  him 
his  hire  the  same  day*,  and  that  before  the  sun  go  down; 
because  he  is  needy,  and  doth  therewith  sustain  his  life^: 
lest  he  cry  against  thee  unto  the  Lord,  and  it  be  sin  unto 
thee." 

Concerning  doing  and  receiving  damage,  and  the  making 
of  full  restitution  for  the  harm  that  is  done,  there  are  many 
constitutions  in  the  law  of  the  Lord.      "  If  any  man,"  saith 

[^  and  wliose,  Lat.]  [2  more:  a  boundary.   Johnson.] 

p  sacrilegium,  abigoatum,  etpeculatum,  Lat.  See  above,  p.  44-48.] 

[■*  die  suo,  Lat. ;  at  his  day.   Auth.  Vor.] 

[5  Sustcntat  ex  eo  vitam  suam,  Lat.  So  Vulg.  and  Covordalc,  15.35, 
"and  his  life  (is)  sustcyned therwith."  Ainsworth  in  loc. :  "And  unto  it 
he  liftetli  up  his  soul ;  that  is,  hopcth  for  and  desireth  it  for  the  main- 
tenance of  his  life."] 


VH]  THE   JUDICIAL  LAWS  OF   GOD.  231 

the  law,  "  doth  dig  a  well,  and  do  not  cause  it  to  be  covered, 
so  that  an  ox  or  a  sheep  of  another  man's  do  fall  into  it ; 
then  let  him  that  owneth  the  well  take  to  himself  the  beast 
that  perished,  and  pay  the  worth  of  the  beast  to  him  that  is 
the  owner  thereof."  The  like  law  is  made  in  the  twenty-first 
of  Exodus  touching  an  ox  that  pusheth  with  his  horns.  In 
the  twenty-second  chapter  is  given  the  law  of  restitution  in 
giving  like  for  like ;  if  either  one  man's  pasture  be  oaten  up 
by  another  man's  cattle,  or  if  one  man  hurt  another's  corn 
or  vineyard.  For  the  law  commandeth  to  restore  other 
pasturings,  other  corn-ground,  and  other  vineyards,  not  of 
the  worst,  but  of  the  best,  to  him  that  had  the  damage  done 
him.  Likewise  if  any  man  had  set  thorns  on  fire,  and  by  [Exod.xxii. 
his  negligence  had  suffered  it  to  catch  hold  upon  corn,  either  x'xiv.i8-'ii.] 
standing  in  the  field  upright,  or  stacked  up  in  mows"  at  home ;  ^ 

then  he,  by  whose  negligence  the  fire  began,  did  make  amends 
for  the  loss  that  the  other  received.  The  same  law  is  again 
repeated  in  the  twenty-fourth  of  Leviticus.  In  the  twenty- 
second  of  Deuteronomy  there  are  many  things  expressed  that 
must  be  referred  unto  this  title  :  of  which  sort  is  the  law 
that  biddeth  us  to  bring  back  the  ox  that  goeth  astray,  and 
to  restore  the  things  that  are  found  to  him  that  lost  them  ; 
to  keep  our  buildings  in  good  reparations,  that  by  misfortune 
in  the  fall  of  them  our  brethren  be  not  mischieved.  And 
like  to  these  is  the  law  also  which  saith :  "Thou  shalt  have  [Deut. xxHi. 
a  place  without  the  host  to  go  forth  unto  ;  and  shalt  bear  a 
paddle-stick  at  thy  girdle,  wherewith  as  thou  sittcst  thou 
shalt  dig  a  hole  to  hide  thy  ordure,  or  cover  thine  excrements 
in."  And  in  the  civil  law  the  like  matter  in  effect  is  handled'^: 
for  very  necessity  doth  require,  that  in  commonweals  there 
should  be  laws  concerning  draughts,  and  order  of  buildir*gs, 
so  that  no  man  by  his  excrements  or  building  of  new  houses 
should  trouble  or  annoy  his  neighbours  about  him.  To  this 
place,  also,  we  may  add  the  laws  that  were  made  concerning 
the  separating  of  lepers  from  them  that  were  clean,  lest  per- 
adventure  the  contagious  disease  should  by  little  and  little 
infect  the  healthful.      The  laws  of  lepers  and  the  leprosy  are 

[c  mow,  a  heap  of  corn  or  hay ;  when  laid  up  in  a  house,  said  to 
bo  in  mow;  when  heaped  together  in  a  field,  in  rick.  Johnson's  Diet.] 

[7  Codex  Justin.  Lib.  vin.  tit.  10,  dc  aidificiis  privatis.  Tom.  ir. 
Lugd.  1551.] 


232  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sEUM. 

at  large  set  down  in  the  thirteenth   and  fourteenth  chapters 
of  Leviticus. 
Weight  and  Just  weights  and  just  measures  the  Lord  commanded  to 

be  kept  in  the  law,  where  he  saith  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  have  in 
thy  bag  two  manner  of  weights,  a  great  and  a  small :  neither 
shalt  thou  have  in  thine  house  divers  measures,  a  great  and 
a  small.  But  thou  shalt  have  a  right  and  a  just  weight,  and 
a  perfect  and  a  just  measure  shalt  thou  have  :  that  thy  days 
may  be  lengthened  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee.  For  all  that  do  such  things,  and  all  that  deal 
unrightly,  are  abomination  unto  the  Lord  thy  God."  This 
law  is  given  in  the  twenty-fifth  of  Deuteronomy,  and  is  again 
repeated  in  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  Leviticus. 
The  punish-  Qf  public  judgmcuts,  of  witclicrafts,  and  the  punishment 

guilty.  of  offenders,  there  are  many  laws  set  down  in  the   book  of 

[Exod.xxii.  the  Lord.  "Thou  shalt  not,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  suffer  witches 
xxivl^iTi  to  live."  Again  :  "  The  fathers  shall  not  be  killed  for  the 
sons,  nor  the  sons  for  the  fathers :  but  every  one  shall  be 
slain  for  his  own  offence."  Neither  doth  the  law  conceal 
the  manner  of  killing  :  for  it  giveth  the  use  of  the  sword,  of 
stones,  and  of  fire,  into  the  magistrate's  hands.  And  some- 
time it  is  left  to  the  judge's  discretion  to  punish  the  offender 
according  to  the  circumstance  of  the  crime  committed,  either 
in  body  or  goods,  in  loss  of  limbs  or  life,  in  scourging  with 
rods,  or  selling  into  bondage.  In  the  twentieth  chapter  of 
Leviticus  all  the  offences  are  almost  reckoned  up  that  are  to 
be  punished  with  present  death.  And  in  like  manner  the 
like  are  repeated  in  the  eighteenth  and  twenty-first  chapter 
of  the  same  book. 
Witches  and  Agaiust  witchos  and  soothsayers^  there  is  precise  charge 

soot  sayers.   ^■^^^^  -^^  ^l^^  eighteenth  of  Deuteronomy.      In  the  nineteenth 
of  Leviticus  this  short  precept  is  given  :   "  Ye  shall  not  seek 
after  witches,  nor  observe  your  dreams  :  ye  shall  not  decline 
to  sorcerers,  nor  inquire  of  soothsayers  to  be  defiled  by  them.'" 
Against  such  the  lavv  doth  expressly  give  judgment  of  death 
and  extreme  punishment,  Leviticus  xx.     In  the  twenty-second 
of  Exodus  this  strait  sentence  is  sharply  pronounced :   "  Let 
not  a   woman  live  that  is  a  witch." 
Heretics  and        Agaiust  hcrctics,  schismatics,  apostates,  and  false  prophets, 
yh^u""'      the    law    giveth  judgment  in  the  thirteenth   and   eighteenth 
[1  Mathciuaticis,  Lat.    Sco  Vol.  i.  p.  221,  note  7.] 


VII.]  THE    JUDICIAL    LAWS    OF    GOD.  233 

chapters  of  Deuteronomy ;  where  it  doth  most  plainly  teach 
how  such  kind  of  people  are  to  be  handled.  And  like  to  this 
is  the  law  for  the  stoning  of  blasphemers,  which  is  contained 
in  the  twenty-fourth  of  Leviticus ;  and  also  the  law  for  con- 
temners and  breakers  of  the  Lord''s  sabbath,  Numbers  xv. 

Against  seditious  rebels  and  secret  slanderers  there  is  Rebels  ana 
much  to  be  found  in  many  places  of  the  law.  Chore,  Dathan, 
and  Abirom  were  rebels,  of  whose  ends  ye  may  read  in  the 
sixteenth  of  the  book  of  Numbers.  If  any  man  did  mali- 
ciously bring  up  a  slander  upon  his  wife's  chastity,  and  was 
not  able  to  prove  it  true,  he  was  merced  at  a  sum  of  money, 
or  punished  with  stripes,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  twenty-second 
of  Deuteronomy.  In  the  nineteenth  of  Leviticus  this  precept 
is  given :  "  Thou  shalt  not  go  up  and  down  with  tales  among 
thy  people :  neither  shalt  thou  hate  thy  brother  in  thine 
heart ;  but  shalt  rebuke  him  and  tell  him  thy  mind  plainly." 
Also  in  the  twenty-second  of  Exodus  it  is  said,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  rail  upon  the  gods  (or  judges i),  nor  blaspheme  the  ruler 
of  thy  people." 

Moreover  there  are  sundry  kinds  of  murder,  whereof  Murder, 
some  are  greater  or  smaller  than  other.  The  most  detest- 
able murder  of  all  is  parricide,  (when  one  killeth  his  father 
or  his  kinsman^),  under  which  we  do  comprehend  the  evil- 
entreating  or  currish  handling  of  parents  by  their  children. 
•'Whosoever  striketh  father  or  mother,  or  curseth  them,"  fExoi.  xxi. 
saith  the  law,  "let  him  die  the  death."  Again,  they  are 
bidden  to  kill  the  rebel  that  dareth  stand  up  to  resist  the 
upright  decrees  and  holy  ordinances  of  the  elders,  Deutero- 
nomy xvii.  And  also  in  the  twenty-first  of  Deuteronomy 
we  find :  "  If  any  man  have  a  stubborn,  a  froward,  and  rc- 
belhous  son,  that  will  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  his  father, 
and  the  voice  of  his  mother,  and  they  have  chastened  him, 
and  he  would  not  hearken  unto  them  :  then  shall  his  father 
and  his  mother  take  him,  and  bring  him  out  unto  the  elders 
of  that  city,  and  to  the  gate  of  that  place ;  and  say  unto  the 
elders  of  the  city.  This  our  son  is  stubborn  and  disobedient, 
and  will  not  hearken  to  our  voice ;  he  is  a  rioter  and  a 
drunkard :  and  straightway  all  the  men  of  that  city  shall 
stone  him  with  stones  until  he  die  ;  and  thou  shalt  put  evil 
from  thee :  and  all  Israel  shall  hear  and  fear." 
[■-'  The  translator's  addition.] 


ary 


234  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Furthermore,  murder  is  either  committed  willingly  or 
else  unwillingly.  Of  murder  unwillingly  committed  there  is 
an  example  in  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  where 
the  case  is  put  as  followeth  :  Two  friends  go  to  the  wood  to 
hew  wood  together  ;  and  as  the  one  fetcheth  his  stroke,  the 
head  of  the  axe  falleth  from  the  helve,  and  striketh  the 
other  SO'  that  he  dicth  upon  it.  This  deed  the  Lord  doth 
neither  impute,  nor  would  have  it  to  be  imputed  to  the  man, 
Thesanctu-  but  to  himsolf ;  and  therefore  he  giveth  licence  to  the  man 
to  fly  unto  the  sanctuary.  For  his  mind  was  that  the  sanc- 
tuaries should  be  a  safeguard  to  such  kind  of  people  as  killed 
men  unwillingly,  and  not  to  bladers^  and  cutters,  not  to 
them  that  poison,  or  otherwise  kill  their  neighbours  of  a  set 
pretence  or  purpose-  :  of  which  there  is  much  to  be  seen 
in  the  thirty-fifth  of  Numbers,  the  fourth  and  the  nineteenth 
chapters  of  Deuteronomy.  To  the  law  for  murder  unwillingly 
committed  doth  the  case  belong^  that  is  thus  put  forth  :  Two 
men  fight  together,  and  in  their  fight  they  strike  a  woman 
with  child,  so  that  either  she  falleth  in  travail  before  her 
time,  or  else  doth  presently  die  out  of  hand.  In  such  a 
case  what  is  to  be  done,  the  Lord  did  teach  in  the  twenty- 
first  of  Exodus,  where  the  law  of  like  for  like  is  also  set 
down:  "An  eye  for  an  eye,  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,  a  hand  for 
a  hand,"  &c.  In  the  same  place,  also,  is  put  another  kind  of 
murder,  which  is  committed  either  by  thy  beast,  as  by  thine 
ox  that  pusheth  with  his  horns,  or  by  thy  wolf,  or  by  thy 
dog  that  thou  keepest  in  thine  house;  or  else  by  some  instru- 
ment, or  building,  that  is  in  thy  possession.  Now  thou  didst 
either  know,  or  not  know,  the  fierceness  of  thy  beast,  the 
peril  in  thine  instrument,  or  the  rottenness  of  thy  building. 
If  thou  knewest  it  not,  thou  wast  then  excused  :  but  if  thou 
knewcst  it,  and  didst  not  seek  a  way  to  prevent  the  mischief, 
the  Lord  gave  charge  that  thou  shouldcst  die  for  it.  But 
if  of  clemency  it  were  granted  thee  to  redeem  thy  life,  thou 
shouldest  not  refuse  to  pay  any  sum  of  money,  how  great 
soever  it  were. 

Now  wilful  murder,  committed  upon  pretended  malice'*, 

[1  bladcrs,  latronibus,  Lat.] 

[2  non  vcneficis  aut  parricidis,  Lat.l  p  etiam,  Lat. ;  also.] 

[<  quae   fit  voluntato    destinata    per    insidias  aut   malevolentiam, 
Lat. ;  wliich  is  perpetrated  of  set  purpose  by  lying  in  wait  or  malice.] 


VII. 1  THE     JUDICIAL     LAWS     OF     GOD.  235 

is  utterly  unpardonable  in  the  law  of  God.  "  Such  an  one,"  [i:xod.  xxi. 
saith  the  law,  "  thou  shalt  pull  from  mine  altar,  that  he  may 
be  killed."  In  this  case  redemption  of  life  is  not  permitted, 
but  the  blood  of  the  murderer  is  straitly  required.  Many 
cases  of  this  severity,  and  many  other  things  tending  to 
this  end,  are  to  be  read  in  the  thirty-fifth  chapter  of  Numbers 
and  the  twenty-first  of  Exodus.  In  the  twenty-first  of  Deu- 
teronomy is  described  the  action,  partly  ceremonial,  and 
partly  judicial,  which  was  solemnized  when  any  man  was 
found  to  be  slain,  and  no  man  knew  who  was  the  murderer ; 
where  also  the  manner  is  prescribed,  how  to  make,  an  atone- 
ment for  the  murder :  whereby  we  may  gather  how  horrible 
a  sin  murder  is  in  the  sight  of  God  and  the  catholic  church. 

Lastly,  the  law  doth  not  leave  the  order  of  war  untouched:  war. 
for  it  giveth  precepts  concerning  the  beginning,  the  making, 
and  the  ending  of  war ;  which  are  to  be  read  in  the  twentieth 
chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  Moreover  in  the  law  there  are  set 
out  the  examples  of  terrible  wars;  as  that  witl\ the  Amalachites 
in  the  seventeenth  of  Exodus,  and  that  with  the  INIadianites 
in  the  thirty-first  of  the  book  of  Numbers :  where  somewhat 
also  is  said  touching  the  division  of  spoils  gotten  in  the  wars. 

I  know,  my  brethren,  that  I  have  been  somewhat  tedious  conclusion. 
unto  you  in  making  this  rehearsal  of  the  laws  unto  you :  but 
for  because  the  most  wise  and  mighty  God  doth  nothing  with- 
out especial  causes  and  the  evident  profit  of  mankind,  I  could 
not  therefore  suffer  this  part  of  the  law  to  pass  me  untouched; 
considering  that  I  see  it  so  diligently  taught  by  God  himself, 
and  that  it  maketh  much  to  the  opening  and  maintaining  of 
the  moral  law.  Our  good  God,  who  knoweth  all  things,  doth 
also  know  the  dulness  and  overthwart  slackness  of  man's  wit, 
and  how  it  requireth  to  be  driven  perforce  many  times  to  do 
good  and  eschew  evil.  And  therefore  the  holy  Lord  hath 
in  these  judicial  laws  added  an  holy  kind  of  compulsion  to 
drive  men  on  withal. 

In  the  morals  he  frameth  our  manners,  and  teacheth  us 
what  to  do,  and  what  to  leave  undone.  AVith  the  ceremonials 
he  helpeth  forward  the  morals;  and  doth  under  types  and 
figures  lay  before  the  eyes  of  our  body  and  mind  the  mys- 
teries of  God^  and  his  heavenly  kingdom.  And  lastly,  by 
[''  niysteria  regni  Dei,  Lat.] 


236  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

the  judicials  he  compelleth  us  to  the  keeping  of  the  laws,  and 
doth  preserve  the  integrity  of  the  same.  Now  all  these  to- 
gether do  tend  to  this  end  only,  that  man  may  be  saved,  that 
he  worship  God  aright,  and  live  according  to  the  will  of  the 
Lord. 

Thus  much  have  I  spoken  hitherto,  by  the  help  of  God, 
concerning  his  holy  laws.  Now  let  us  praise  the  goodness  of 
the  Lord,  who  doth  not  suffer  his  people  to  lack  any  thing 
that  is  necessary  for  their  commodity  ;  and  doth  even  at  this 
day  instruct  us  with  these  laws  to  the  glory  of  his  name  and 
health  of  our  souls. 


OF  THE  USE  OR  EFFECT  OF  THE  LAW  OF  GOD,  AND 

OF  THE  FULFILLING  AND  ABROGATING  OF  THE 

SAME :  OF  THE  LIKENESS  AND  DIFFERENCE 

OF  BOTH  THE  TESTAMENTS  AND 

PEOPLE,  THE  OLD  AND 

THE  NEW. 

THE  EIGHTH  SERMON. 

Although  I  have  hitherto  in  large  sermons  laid  forth^  the 
law  of  God  by  several  parts,  yet  methinketh  I  have  not 
said  all  that  should  be  said,  nor  made  an  end  as  I  should  do, 
unless  I  add  now  a  treatise  of  the  use,  effect,  fulfilling,  and 
abrogating  of  the  law  of  God ;  albeit  I  have  here  and  there  in 
ray  sermons 2  touched  the  same  argument.  Now  by  this 
discourse  or  treatise,  dearly  beloved,  ye  shall  understand, 
that  the  Testament  of  the  old  and  new  church  of  God  is  all 
one ;  and  that  there  is  but  one  means  of  true  salvation  for  all 
them  that  either  have  or  else  at  this  present  are  saved  in 
the  world :  ye  shall  also  perceive  wherein  the  old  Testament^ 
doth  differ  from  the  new.  Moreover  this  treatise  will  be 
necessary  and  very  profitable  both  to  the  understanding  of 
many  places  in  the  holy  scripture,  and  also  to  the  easy  per- 
ceiving and  most  wholesome  use  of  those  things  which  I  have 
said  hitherto  touching  the  law.     God,  who  is  the  author,  the 

[1  qua  potui  diligentia,  Lat. ;  with  my  best  diligence.] 

[2  in  liiscc  nostris  sermonibus,  Lat.] 

[^  quid  novum  testamentum  diflferat  a  vctori,  Lat.] 


VIIl.]       USB,   FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION    OF    THE    LAW.       237 

wisdom,  and  the  perfect  fulness  of  the  law,  give  me  grace  to 
speak  those  things  that  are  to  the  setting  forth  of  his  glory, 
and  profitable  for  the  health  of  your*  souls. 

The  use  of  God's  law  is  manifold  and   of  sundry  sorts;  ortheuse 
and'  yet  it  may  be  called  back  to  three  especial  points,  and  G"c^sTaw."'^ 
we  may  say  that  the  use  thereof  is  threefold  or  of  three 
sorts. 

For  first  of  all,  the  chief  and  proper  office  of  the  law  is, 
to  convince  all  men  to  be  guilty  of  sin,  and  by  their  own  fault 
to  be  the  children  of  death.    For  the  law  of  God  setteth  forth 
to  us  the  holy  will  of  God  ;   and,  in  the  setting  forth  thereof, 
requireth  of  us  a  most  perfect  and  absolute  kind  of  righteous- 
ness.    And  for  that  cause  the  law  is  wont  to  be  called  the 
testimony  of  God's  will,  and  the  most  perfect  exemplar  of 
his  divine  pureness.  -  And  hereunto  belong  those  words  of  the 
Lord  in  the  gospel,  where  he,  reciting  shortly  the  sum  of 
God's  commandments,  doth  say:  "The  first  of  all  the  com- Absolute 
mandments  is:  Hear,  0  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord:  J^^MuTredof 
and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  ["^"k  xi.i'ou 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,   and  with  all  thy 
strength.      This  is  the  first  commandment.      And  the  second 
is  like  to  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  There 
is  none  other  commandment  greater  than  these."     Therefore 
to  this  doth  also  appertain  that  saying  of  the  apostle  Paul : 
"The  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity  out  of  a  pure  heart,  |-iTim  i  .- 
and  a  good  conscience,  and  faith  unfeigned."     But  since  the 
law  doth  require  at  all  our  hands  most  absolute  righteousness, 
charity,  and^  a  pure  heart,  it  doth''  condemn  all  men  of  sin, 
unrighteousness,  and   death.      For  in  the  law   of   God  it  is 
expressly  said:  "Cursed  is  every  one  which  abideth  not  in  all  [Deut. xxvii. 
that  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  it."      But  what  fll]^^'"" 
one  of  us  fulfillcth  all  the  points  of  the  law  ?    What  man,  I  nvmgTs 
pray,  either  heretofore  hath  had,  or  at  this  day^  hath,  a  pure  unspotted. 
heart  within  him  ?     What  man  hath  ever  loved,  or  doth  now 
love,  God  with  all  his  heart,  with  all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his 
mind  ?      What  man  is  he  that  did  never  lust  after  evil  ?     Or 
who  is  it  now  that  lusteth  not  every  day  ?    Therefore  imper- 
fection and  sin  is  by  the  law,  or  by  the  bewraying  of  the 
[•*  nostrarum,  Lat. ;  our.] 

[5  adeoque,  Lat.  ;  and  so  a.]  [c  certc,  Lat.  undoubtedly.] 

[7  etiain  hodie,  Lat.] 


238  THE     THIRD     DECADE.  [SEKM. 

law^  revealed  in  mankind^.  What  shall  we  say  to  this? 
Where,  I  praj  you,  doth  there  appear  in  any  man  that  divine 
and  most  absolute  righteousness,  which  the  law  requireth  ? 
Job  crieth,  "I  know  verily  that  a  man,  compared  to  God, 
cannot  be  justified^."     Or,  "How  shall  a  man  be  found  right- 

[ Job  ix.  2, 3,  eous,  if  he  be  compared  to  God  ?  If  he  will  argue  with  him, 
he  shall  not  be  able  to  answer  one  for  a  thousand.  ^If  I  have 
any  righteousness  in  me,  I  will  not  answer  him,  but  I  will 
beseech  my  judge."  Likewise,  these^  are  the  words  of  the 
apostle   John,  who  saith :    "  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,    we 

[1  John  i.  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Again,  "  If  we 
say  we  have  not  sinned,  we  make  him  a  liar,  and  his  word  is 
not  in  us."    Therefore  by  this  means  the  law   is  a  certain 

The  law  doth  lookiug-glass,  whcroin  we  behold  our  own  corruption,  frailness, 

^ns manifest,  imbecility,  imperfection,  and  our  judgment,  that  is,  our  iust 

and  bring  ,     ,  i     ,  •  t-.  i  i        i      ,  i 

our  misery  and  dosorved  damnation,  r  or  the  apostle  doth  expressly  say, 
that  the  law  was  given  to  the  end  that  it  might  make  mani- 
fest men's  transgressions,  and  by  that  means  drive  them  to  the 
acknowledging  of  their  imperfection  and  guilt  in  sinning.  For 
none  of  us  doth  look  into  his  own  bosom,  nor  into  the  secrets 
of  his  own  breast,  but  we  do  all  flatter  ourselves,  and  will  not 
be  persuaded  that  our  thoughts  and  deeds'^  are  so  corrupt  as 
they  be  in  very  deed ;  and  therefore  doth  the  law  creep  in, 
and  lay  open  the  secrets  of  our  hearts,  and  bringeth  to  light 
our  sin  and  corruption.  "Before  the  law,"  saith  the  apostle, 
"  although  sin  were  in  the  world,  yet  was  it  not  imputed"." 

[Rom. iv.15;  The  samo  apostle  also  saith  :  "The  law  worketh  wrath;  for 
where  there  is  no  law,  there  is  no  transgression."  And  again, 
"By  the  law  cometh  the  knowledge  of  sin."  For  in  the 
seventh  to  the  Romans  the  same  apostle  doth  say  more  fully  : 
"I  knew  not  sin,  but  by  the  law:  for  I  had  not  known  lust, 
except  the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt  not  lust.    But  sin,  taking 

[1  indicio  legis,  Lat.] 

[2  ut  non  dicam  hie  aliud  gravius,  Lat.  omitted ;  not  to  allege  hero 
any  severer  charge.] 

[3  So  the  Vulgate;  and  Covordalo,  1535.] 

[•t  item,  Lat. ;  again.]  ^ 

[5  succinit  huic,  Lat. ;  like  to  these,  cd.  1577.] 

[c  res  nostras,  Lat. J 

[7  non  imputabatur,  vol  reputabatur,  Lat. ;  or  not  considered, 
Horn.  V.  13.] 


VIII.]         USE,  rULlILLIXG,  ANU  AHKOUATIOX  Of  THli  LAW.         239 

occasion^  by  the  commandment,  wrought  in  mc  all  manner  of 
concupiscence.  For  without  the  law  sin  was  dead.  I  once 
lived  without  law;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin 
revived,  and  I  was  dead''.  And  it  was  found,  that  the  same 
commandment,  Avhich  was  ordained  unto  life,  was  unto  me  an 
occasion  of  death,  &c."  For  a  good  part  of  that  chapter  is 
spent  in  that  matter.  Therefore  the  proper  office  of  Moses, 
and  the  principal  use  and  cifect  of  the  law,  is  to  shew  to  man 
his  sin  and  imperfection'*'. 

As  for  those  which  stay  here,  and  ffo  no  further  to  make  any  Moses  doth 

J  '  o  >!    not  on  Iv  Slav, 

other  use  and  effect  of  the  law,  but  as  though  Moses  did  nothing  J];j[ '1^^,',""' 
but  kill,  and  the  law  nothing  but  slay  ;  they  are  diversly, 
and  that  not  hghtly,  deceived.  I  do  here  again  repeat  it,  and 
tell  them,  that  the  very  proper  office  of  the  law  is,  to  make 
sin  manifest ;  and  also  that  JMoses  his  chief  office  is,  to  teach 
us  what  we  have  to  do,  and  with  threatenings  and  cursings  to 
urge  it,  especially  when  the  law  is  compared  with  the  gospel. 
For  in  the  third  chapter  of  the  second  epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians Paul  calleth  the  law  the  letter ;  and  immediately  after,, 
the  ministration  of  death ;  then  again,  he  calleth  it  a  doctrine 
written  in  letters  and  ink,  and^^  figured  in  tables  of  stone, 
which  should  not  endure,  but  perish  and  decay.  The  same 
apostle,  on  the  other  side  again '^^  (joth  call  the  gospel  the 
ministration  or  doctrine  of  the  Spirit,  which  endurcth  and 
decayeth  not,  which  is  written  in  men''s  hearts,  and  giveth  life 
to  the  believers'^.  Whereupon  we  do  freely  confess,  that  the 
law  doth  properly  make  manifest  our  infirmity'*;  but  the  gospel 
giveth  a  medicine,  and  a  remedy  to  that  which  was  almost 
past  hope. 

And  now  here  we  must  think  that  our  holy  ancestors 
had  not  the  law,  alone  to  convince  them  of  sin  ;  nor  Moses,  to 
do  nothing  else  but  kill  and  slay  ;  nor  that  Moses  was  given 
to  wound  them,  but  to  heal  them'^:  and  that,  not  by  his  own 
power  or  virtue,  but  by  the  guiding  of  them  to  him  that 
cherisheth  the  contrite  in  heart,  and  healeth  all  their  sor- 

[8  occasiono  acccpta,  pcccatum  per  procceptum  gcnuit,  Lat.  ;  and 
Erasmus.] 

p  rnortuus  sum,  Lat.]  ['o  movbum,  sivo  pcccatum,  Lat.] 

[11  rursus,  Lat.]  \}'  protinus,  Lat.;  and  immediately.] 

[13  to  the  believers,  not  in  Lat.]  [i»  morbum,  Lat.] 

[15  ut  raederctur  ctiam,  Lat, ;  but  to  heal  also.] 


240  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

rows :  that  is  Christ  Jesus,  who  also  wrought  by  the  min- 
istery  of  Moses.  For  we  must  not  think,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  nor  from  Moses  his  time  till  the  coming  of 
Christ  ^  that  the  bare  letter  was  preached  only,  and  that  the 
grace  and  Spirit  of  God  was  idle  and  wrought  not  in  the 
minds  of  the  faithful :  for  in  that  the  law  doth  shew  us,  and 
invincibly  prove  to  us,  that  in  us,  I  mean,  in  our  flesh,  that 
perfection  is  not,  which  the  most  holy  and  perfect  God  doth 
in  his  law  require  of  us,  it  doth  therein  revoke  and  pull  back 
mankind  (not  by  the  virtue  of  itself,  but  by  the  power  of  the 
quickening  Spirit  of  Christ)  from  confidence  of  the  flesh 2,  as 
that  wherein  there  is  no  health  nor  jot  of  perfection ;  and  so 
consequently  doth  give  us  occasion  to  turn  ourselves  to  Christ 
our  mediator,  who  is  alone  our  sanctification  and  perfection. 
And  so,  for  this  occasion  ^  the  lavv  is  a  path  and  ready  way, 
and,  as  it  were,  a  schoolmaster^  given  by  God  to  us  men,  to 
draw  us  from  all  confidence  in  our  own  strengths,  from  all 
hope  of  our  own  merits ^  and  from  the  trust  in  any  kind  of 
.creatures,  and  to  lead  us  directly  by  faith  to  Christ,  who  was 

[1  Cor.  i.3o.]  made  by  God  (as  I  said  even  now)  our  "  righteousness,  sancti- 
fication, and  redemption,"  without  whom  there  is  no  salvation 
under  the  sun.  Therefore  Moses  did  not  only  urge  the  law, 
but  did  also  preach  Christ  and  life  in  Christ.    For  the  Lord  in 

Moses  doth    the  gospel  saith  to  the  Jews:    "Think  not  that  I  will  accuse 

also  lead  to  -n      i         c  i  •  i  i 

fj'^.hnv  45  y^"^  **^  ^y  Father*';  there  is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even 
^•'  ]  '  Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust.  For  if  ye  had  believed  Moses, 
ye  would  undoubtedly  have  believed  me :  for  he  wrote  of 
me."  And  Paul  to  the  Galatians  saith  :  "  If  there  had  been 
a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life,  then  no  doubt  right- 
eousness should  have  been  by  the  law.  But  the  scripture  hath 
concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the  promise  by  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  should  be  given  unto  them  that  believe.  But  before  faith 
came,  we  were  kept  under  the  law,  and  were  shut  up  into  the 
faith  which  should  afterward  be  revealed.  Wherefore  the 
law  was  our  schoolmaster  unto  Christ,  that  we  should  be  jus- 

[1  ad  Christum  usque,  Lat.]  [^  ab  omni  carne,  Lat.] 

[3  juxta  lianc  concomitantiam  vel  occasioncm,  Lat.] 
[■1  adcoque  ct  ptedagogus,  Lat.] 

[5  ab  omni  openun  nostrorum  rospcctu,  Lat. ;  from  all  regard  of 
our  own  works.] 

[c  apud  Patrem,  Lat.] 


[Gal.  iii, 
21—24.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND   ABROGATION  OF   THE   LAW.       241 

tificd  by  faith."  Lo,  -what  could  be  said  more  plainly,  than 
that  the  law  hath  concluded  all  under  sin  ?  But  to  what  end  ? 
"  That  the  promise  by  the  faith  of  Christ  Jesus  should  be  given 
unto  them  that  do  believe."  And  again  :  "Before  faith  came," 
that  is,  before  he  came  to  whom  our  faith  is  directed,  and 
upon  whom  it  is  grounded^,  "  we  were  kept  under  the  law." 
How  ?  Forsooth,  being  shut  up  unto  the  faith  that  was  to  be 
revealed.  Therefore  our  fathers  were  shut  up  in  the  law, 
that  they  should  not  break  out  at  any  time,  and  seek  for  life 
and  salvation  any  where  else  but  in  Christ  alone.  Wherefore 
the  law  did  lead  us^  by  faith  directly  unto  Christ.  And  yet 
more  plainly  he  saith  :  "  The  law  was  our  schoolmaster  unto 
Christ."  Lo,  here  again  the  law  doth  bring  us  to  Christ^. 
And  again  he  addeth ;  "That  we  should  be  justified  by  faith." 
Therefore  the  law  setteth  forward  the  true  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication, teaching  plainly  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  in 
Christ,  and  not  by  the  merits  of  our  own  works.  In  which 
point  it  is  openly  like  unto  the  gospeP*',  and  taketh  to  itself 
the  office  of  the  gospel :  and  no  marvel,  since  to  many  men, 
through  their  own  fault,  the  gospel"  doth  become  and  is 
made  the  letter.  Furthermore,  the  same  apostle  doth  in 
another  place  say,  that  "  in  sacrifices  they  called  their  sins  [Heb.  x.  2, 
to  remembrance,"  and  we  know  that  in  them  was  prefigured '^ 
the  purging  of  sins.  Therefore  even  the  ceremonial  laws 
also  led  them  to  Christ,  testifying  and  teaching  them 
that  he  alone  doth  cleanse  us  from  all  our  sins.  Whereupon 
I  conclude  that  tlie  ofiice  of  Moses  and  of  the  law  both 
was  and  is,  to  open  to  us  our  sin  and  judgment ;  and  yet 
not  to  condemn  us  only,  but  also  by  occasion  to  lead  us  to 
Christ. 

By  which  we  learn  also,  that  the  law   doth  not  only  The  law 
teach  us  the  first  principles  and  rudiments  of  righteousness,  jfeTfect  right- 
but  the   very  true  and  absolute   righteousness.     For  Moses  ^°"'"''''*" 
doth  expressly  say,  that  he  taught  a  most  perfect  and  absolute  [neut.  xxx. 
kind  of  doctrine,   as  that   wherein  both   life  and  death   doth 
wholly  consist.     And  the  apostle  saith,  that  the  law  Icadcth 

[7  See  Vol.  I.  Addend,  in  pag.  112,  lino  32.] 

[8  us,  not  in  Lat.]  [^  En,  ducit  lex  ad  Christum  etiani,  Lat.] 

[10  miscetur  evangelio,  Lat.] 

[11  ipsum  evangelium,  Lat. ;  the  gospel  itself.] 

[12  also  prefigured,  Lat.] 

r  1  16 

l_nULLINGER.    H.J 


242  THE    THIRD   DECADE.  [SERM. 

US  by  the  hand  to  Christ,  that  we  should  be  justified  by  faith. 
Now  the  righteousness  of  faith  is  the  most  perfect  right- 
Therefore,  whereas  the  precepts  of  the  law  are 
mlntlVf'the  "^  ^°™®  pkcBS  Called  the  rudiments  of  the  worlds  that  is 
world.  £qj.  ^^q  especial  causes :  the  first  whereof  is,  because  the 
law  is,  as  it  were,  the  first  instructions  or  elements,  which, 
when  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  cometh,  is  finished,  and 
giveth  place  to  it  as  to  more  absolute  principles ;  the  latter 
cause  is,  because  ceremonies  are  taught  under  outward  things 
or  signs,  when  as  in  those  outward  things  they  do  prefigure, 
and  set  forth  to  be  seen,  the  inward  things,  even  Christ  him- 
self and  his  holy  mysteries. 

And  out  of  that  which  I  have  hitherto  said  we  may  also 
learn,  that  the  ancient  saints,  which  lived  under  the  old 
testament,  did  not  seek  for  righteousness  and  salvation  in 
the  works  of  the  law,  but  in  him  which  is  the  perfectness 
and  end  of  the  law,  even  Christ  Jesus ;  and  therefore  that 
they  used  the  law  and  the  ceremonies  as  a  guide  and  school- 
mistress to  lead  them  by  the  hand  to  Christ  their  Saviour. 
For  so  often  as  they  heard  that  the  law  required  perfect 
righteousness  at  their  hands,  they  did  by  faith  through  grace^ 
The  kind  of  uudorstaud,  that  in  the  law  Christ  was  set  forth  to  be  the 
w^ich  was  in  most  absoluto  righteousness,  to  whom  all  men  ought  to  fly 

the  people  of  r-i  &  ./ 

theoid        for  the   obtaining  of  righteousness.      So  often  as  they  met 

ancient  &  &  «/ 

world.  together  in  the  holy  congregation^,  to  behold  the  holy  cere- 
monies which  God  hath  ordained,  they  did  not  look  upon 
the  bare  figures  only,  nor  think  that  they  did  please  God, 
and  were  purged  from  their  sins,  by  that  external  kind  of 
worship^ ;  but  they  did  cast  the  eyes  of  their  minds  and  of 
faith  upon  the  Messiah  to  come,  who  was  prefigured  in  all 
the  ceremonies  and' ordinances  of  the  law.  They  therefore 
did  abuse  the  law,  who  thought  that  they  were  acceptable 
to  God,  and  that  they  served  him  as  they  should,  because 
they  were  busy  in  those  ceremonial  works.  For  those 
thoughts  and  persuasions  the  prophets  in  their  sermons  did 

A  carnal       sharplv  accuso,  and  evermore   cry   out  upon.     And  in  that 

or  fleshly  ^     n         \  i  ipti- 

people.  sense,  and  for  that  cause,  the  people  oi  Israel  is  many  times 
called  a  carnal  people :  not  that  all  the  patriarchs  and  fathers 
before  the  coming  of  Christ  were  carnal  or  fleshly  ;  but  for 

[1  Gal.  iv.  3.  Marg.   Coloss.  ii.  8,  20.]      [2  donata  ex  gratia,  Lat.] 
[3  in  loco  sacro,  Lat.]  [^  propter  cultum  ilium,  Lat.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,  AND   ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.      243 

because  they  did  as  yet  live  then  under  those  external  sha- 
dows and  outward  figures^ ;  and  for  because  there  were 
peradvcnture  among  the  people  some  that  did  not  perceive 
the  spiritual  things  shadowed  under  those  external  figures, 
and  did  think  perhaps  that  they  were  acceptable  to  God  for 
the  workino;  and  doins;  of  that  external  work^. 

The  second  use  and  another  office  of  the  law  is,  to  teach  Theuw 
them  that  are  justified  in  faith  by  Christ  what  to  follow  and  iifeofman. 
what  to  eschew,  and  how  the  godly  and  faithful  sort  should 
worship^  God.  For  the  law  of  God  doth  comprehend  a 
most  absolute  doctrine  both  of  faith  in  God,  and  also  of  all 
good  works.  For  in  the  first  use  of  the  law  I  declared  how 
the  moral  and  ceremonial  law  doth  teach  us  faith  in  God 
and  Christ  his  Son,  and  how  it  bringeth  man  to  the  know- 
ledge of  himself,  that  he  may  understand  how  that  in  himself, 
that  is,  in  the  nature  of  man,  there  is  no  good  thing  nor  any 
life  ;  but  that  all  the  gifts  of  life,  of  virtues,  and  salvation,  are 
of  God  the  Father,  the  only  well-spring  of  all  goodness, 
through  Christ  his  Son  our  Saviour^.  In  this  second  argu- 
ment of  the  end^  the  use,  or  ofiftce  of  the  law  of  God,  we 
must  acknowledge  all  the  forms  of  virtues,  and  the  treasure 
of  all  goodness  ^^  to  be  set  forth  unto  us  in  the  law  of  the 
Lord ;  and  that  the  apostle  applieth  the  precepts  of  the  law 
to  exhortation  and  consolation.  The  first  of  the  two  tables 
of  the  moral  law  doth  teach  us  what  we  owe  to  God,  and 
how  he  will  be  worshipped  of  us :  the  second  table  frameth 
the  offices  of  life,  and  teacheth  us  how  to  behave  ourselves 
toward  our  neighbour.  The  ceremonies  also  do  belong  to 
religion'';  and  the  judicials  teach  the  government  of  an 
house  or  a  commonweal,  so  that  by  them  we  may  live  ho- 
nestly among  ourselves  and  holily  to  God-wards.  Therefore 
the  law  doth  teach  all  justice,  temperance,  fortitude,  and 
wisdom,  and  instructeth  a  godly  man  in  every  good  work 

[5  dementis  et  figuris,  Lat.] 

[8  propter  opus  externum  operatum  aut  pcrfectum,  Lat.     Sec  also 
BuUingcr,  adv.  Anabapt.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  3.] 
[7  rite  colant,  Lat.] 
[8  per  Cbristum,  sive  Messiam,  Lat.] 

[p  In  pra;senti,  id  est,  in  consideratione  sccundi  finis,  &c.  Lat.] 
[10  omnium  bonorum  opcrum,  Lat.] 
[11  ad  cultum,  Lat. ;  to  the  worship  (of  God).] 

16 — 2 


244  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

wherein  it  is  necessary  that  an  holy  worshipper  of  God 
should  be  instructed.  Wherefore  so  often  as  the  holy  pro- 
phets of  God  would  set  up  again  and  restore  the  worship  of 
God  and  true  religion  that  was  decayed ;  so  often  as  they 
would  cry  out  upon  and  rebuke^  the  faults  and  errors  of 
men ;  and  lastly,  when  they  would  teach  them  to  do  those 
good  works,  which  are  good  works  indeed,  they  led  them 
always^  unto  the  law,  and  cited  all  their  testimonies  out  of 
the  law.  Whereof  we  have  evident  examples  in  the  fifteenth 
Psalm  of  David,  and  in  the  first  and  thirty-third  chapter  of 
Esay's  Prophecy,  and  in  the  eighteenth  of  Ezekiel  also. 
Paul  in  the  thirteenth  to  the  Romans  referreth  all  the  offices 
of  our  life  to  the  law  of  charity ;  for  the  Lord  himself, 
before  Paul,  had  done  the  same  in  the  gospel.  Moreover 
the  prophet  David  in  the  ninety-fourth  Psalm  crieth, 
"  Blessed  is  the  man,  0  Lord,  whom  thou  instructest  in  thy 
law ;"  and  in  the  seventy-eighth  Psalm,  "  He  made  a  co- 
venant to  Jacob,  and  gave  a  law  in  Israel,  that  the  posterity 
might  know  it,  and  put  their  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  not 
forget  the  works  of  God,  but  keep  his  commandments." 
Again,  in  the  nineteenth  Psalm  he  saith :  "  The  law  of  the 
Lord  is  an  undefiled  law,  converting  the  soul :  the  testimony 
of  the  Lord  is  sure,  and  giveth  wisdom  unto  the  simple :  the 
statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  and  rejoice  the  heart :  the 
commaDdment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  and  giveth  light  unto  the 
eyes.  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  holy,  and  endureth  for  ever: 
the  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  altogether^ : 
more  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold  and  precious  stone  ^; 
and  sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honeycomb."  And  to  this 
end  tendeth  the  sense  of  all  the  alphabetical  psahn,  which  is 
in  order  of  number  the  119th. 
The  law  The  third  use  or  office  of  the  law^  is  to  repress  the  un- 

bridleththe  i  i    ,i  i  ,  i      i-  , 

unruly.  ruly  ;  and  those  whom  no  reason  can  move  to  orderhness  the 
law  commandeth  to  constrain  with  punishment,  that  honesty, 
peace,  and  public  tranquillity,  may  be  maintained  in  christian 

[1  corrigcrc,  Lat.] 

[2  semper  ac  unicc,  Lat. ;  always  and  alono.] 

[3  justificata  in  semotipsa,  Lat.  and  Vulg. ;  justified  in  themselves, 
Douay.] 

[■*  lapidem  pretiosum,  Lat.  and  Vulg.] 
[^  divina)  Icgis,  Lat.J 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   Tllli   LAW.       245 

commonweals".  For  some  there  are,  and  that  no  small 
number  of  people,  which  do  refrain  from  doing  evil,  and  live 
somewhat  tolerably,  not  so  much  for  the  love  of  virtue,  as  for 
the  fear  of  punishment  that  will  ensue  their  inordinate  living. 
Therefore  it  pleased  the  goodness  of  God,  by  giving  the  law, 
to  put  in  a  caveat,  and  to  make  a  proviso  for  the  tranquillity 
of  mankind.  And  to  this  it  seemeth  that  the  apostle  had 
an  eye  when  he  said  :  "  AVe  know,  that  the  law  was  not  given  iiTim.  i.  n, 
to  the  just,  but  to  the  unjust,  to  the  lawless  and  disobedient, 
to  the  ungodly  and  to  sinners,  to  unholy'^  and  unclean,  to 
murderers  of  fathers  and  murderers  of  mothers,  to  man- 
slayers,  to  whoremongers,  to  them  that  defile  themselves 
with  mankind,  to  man-stealers,  to  liars,  to  perjured ;  and  if 
there  be  any  other  thing  that  is  contrary  to  wholesome  doc- 
trine," &c. 

After  the  declaration  of  the  use,  the  end,  and  the  office  it  is  unpossi- 
of  the  law,   I  have  next  to  teach  you  how,  and   by  what  ""f  o*" 

'',.''  strength  to 

means,  the  law  of  God  is  fulfilled.      It  is  unpossible  for  any  ^""''  ''^^  '=>*• 

man,  of  his  own  strength,  to  fulfil  the  law,  and  fully  to  satisfy 

the  will  of  God  in  all  points.      For  it  is  manifest  that  in  the 

law  there  is  not  required  the  outward  work  only,  but  also  the 

pureness  of  the  inward  affections,  and,  as  it  were,  as  I  said 

even  now,  a  certain  heavenly  ^  and  absolute  perfectness.     For 

the  Lord  himself  in  one  place  crieth,  "Be  ye  perfect,  even  as  [Matt.  v.  48.  i 

your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect."      But  so  absolute 

a  perfectness  is  not  found  in  us  so  long  as  we  live  in  this  flesh  : 

for  the  flesh,  even  to  the  very  last  end   of  our  life,  doth  keep 

still  her  corrupt  disposition  ;  and  although  it  doth  many  times 

receive  an  overthrow  by  the  spirit,  that  striveth  against  it, 

yet  doth  it  still  renew  the  fight^ ;  so  that  in  us  there  is  not 

found,  nor  in  our  strength  there  doth  remain^'',  that  heavenly 

and  most  absolute  perfectness**.    But  let  us  hear  the  testimony 

of  the  holy  apostle  Paul   touching  this  matter,   who   saith : 

"  We  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual :  but  I  am  carnal,  sold  (-rotti.  vh.  "^ 

under  sin.      For  that  which  I   do  I   allow  not :    for  what  I  '^'  '"''^ 

Avould,   that  do  I  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  that  do  I."      And 

[6  in  christian  commonweals,  not  in  the  original.] 
["  irreverentibus,  Lat.]  [8  divinam  perfcctioncm,  Lat.] 

P  usque  tamen  recurrit,  Lat.    Cf.  Herat.  Ep.  Lib.  i.  10,  24.] 
[10  GX  nostris  viribus  dcrivetur,  Lat.] 


246  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [SERM. 

again:  "I  know  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no 
good  thing :  for  to  will  is  present  with  me ;  but  I  find  no 
means  to  perform  that  which  is  good."  Again :  "  I  delight  in 
the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man :  but  I  see  another  law 
in  my  members,  rebelling  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
subduing  me  unto  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  members." 
Rom.  vii.  And  at  the  last  he  concludeth,  and  saith  :  "  So  then  with  the 
in  the  7th     miud  I  mv^olf^  scrvo  the  law  of  God;  but  with  the  flesh  the 

chapter  to  ^''  .  , 

theiiomans  j^w   of  siu,"     Now  somo  tlioro  are  which  thmk  that  Paul 

of  his  own 

person.  spako  thoso  words  not  of  himself,  but  of  the  persons  of  others 
which  were  carnal  men  and  not  as  yet  regenerate.  But  the 
very  words  of  the  apostle  do  enforce  the  reader,  whether  he 
will  or  no,  to  confess,  that  the  words  recited  may  be  applied 
even  to  the  man  that  is  most  spiritual  2.  Augustine,  i.  Lib. 
Retractat.  cap.  23,  saith,  that  he  himself  was  sometime  of 
opinion,  that  those  words  of  the  apostle  ought  to  be  ex- 
pounded of  the  man  which  was  under  the  law,  and  not  under 
grace ;  but  he  confesseth,  that  he  was  compelled  by  the 
authority  of  others'  writings  and  treatises  to  think  that  the 
apostle  spake  them  of  such  men  as  were  most  spiritual,  and 
of  his  own  person :  as  he  doth  at  large  declare  in  his  book^ 
against  the  Pelagians'*.  Even  St  Hierome  also,  who  is  said 
to  have  thundered  out  a  most  horrible  curse  against  them 
that  taught  that  the  law  did  command  things  unpossible^,  doth 
•expressly  write  to  Rusticus,  that  Paul  in  this  place  speaketh  of 

\}  idem  ego,  Lat.,  and  Erasmus.] 

[2  maxima  spiritualibus  competere,  Lat.] 

[3  libris,  Lat. ;  books,  ed.  1577.] 

[*  In  (eo)  libro,  "  Quod  autem  ait,"  inquam,  "  Schnus  quia  lex  spi- 
ritalis  est,  ego  autem  carnalis  sum,  venundatus  sub  peccato,  satis  ostendit, 
non  posse  implcri  legem,  nisi  a  spii'italibus,  quales  facit  gratia  Dei." 
Quod  utiquc  non  ex  persona  Apostoli  accipi  volui,  qui  jam  spiritalis 
erat ;  sed  hominis  sub  lege  positi,  nondum  sub  gratia.  Sic  cnim  prius 
hajc  verba  sapiebam,  qute  postea  lectis  quibusdam  divinorum  tracta- 
toribus  eloquiorum,  quorum  me  moveret  auctoritas,  consideravi  dili- 
gentius  et  vidi  etiam  de  ipso  apostolo  posse  intelligi,  quod  ait,  Scimus 
quoniam  lex  spiritalis  est,  ego  autem  carnalis  sum.  Quod  in  eis  libris 
quos  contra Pelagianos  nuper  scripsi,  quantum  potui  diligenter  ostendi." 
—Retract,  i.  23.  Aug.  0pp.  Par.  1531.  Tom.  i.  fol.  7.  col.  3.] 

[5  Execramur  etiam  eorum  blaspliemiam,  qui  dicunt  impossibilc 
aliquid  liomini  a  Deo  praiceptum  esse.  Symboli  Explan.  ad  Damasum. 
Hicron.  0pp.  Tom.  v.  col.  124.  Par.  170G.  But  this  treatise  is  not 
Jerome's.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLIXG,   AND   yVBROGATION   OF   'IIIE    LAW.       247 

liis  own  person^.  But  if  the  flesh  and  the  corrupt  disposition 
thereof  remain,  wherehy  it  doth  unccssantly  strive  with  the 
spirit,  then,  verily,  that  licavenly  perfcctness  is  never  perfit 
in  us  so  long  as  we  live ;  and  so,  consequently,  so  long  as  we 
live,  none  of  us  fulfilleth  the  law. 

Here  also  is  to  be  inserted  that  disputation  of  Paul,  where  xomanis 

....,,,,  justified  by 

he  proveth  that  no  mortal  man  is  justined  by  the  works  of  the  works  of 
the  law :  his  meaning  is,  not  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the 
very  works  of  the  law,  but  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the 
works  of  our  corrupt  nature'',  which  doth  not  perform  that 
which  the  law  of  God  requireth ;  for,  as  the  same  apostle 
saith,  it  is  not  able  to  perform  it.  And  very  well  truly  ^ 
saith  he  ;  "  AYe  know  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  deeds  [cai.  ii.  ic] 
of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ :  and  we  have 
believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  the 
faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the  deeds  of  the  law ;  because  by 
the  deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  shall  be  justified."  Neither 
must  we  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  understand  the  ceremonies 
only :  for  even  as  the  ceremonies  do  not,  so  likewise  do  not 
the  morals,  justify  us  men.  The  apostle  speaketh  of  the 
morals,  when  he  speaketh  of  the  deeds  of  the  law.    For  in  the  xhe  works 

of  the  law. 

third  chapter  to  the  Romans  the  same  apostle  saith  :   "  By  the 

deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight." 

And  immediately  after  he  addeth  the  reason  why,  saying ; 

"  for  by  the  law  cometh  the  knowledge  of  sin."     But  in  the 

seventh  chapter  he  sheweth  by  what  law,  to  wit,  the  moral 

law.     For  the  moral  law  saith,  "  Thou  shalt  not  lust."     But 

the  apostle  saith,  "  I  knew  not  sin  but  by  the  law ;  for  I  had 

not  known  concupiscence,  if  the  law  had  not  said,  Thou  shalt 

not  lust."     In  his  epistle  to  the  Kphesians  he  speaketh  to  the  [Ephes.  u.  9.] 

Gentiles,  and  saith  simply  that  works  do  not  justify  :   but, 

speaking  to  the  Gentiles,  he  could  not  mean  it  of  ceremonial 

laws,  but  of  the  very  moral  virtues,  that  is,  all  kinds  of  works 

that  seemed  to  be  good.      To  the  Galatians  he  saith  :  "  As  [oai.  iii.  100 

many  as  are  of  the  deeds  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse." 

[G  Ilieron.  0pp.  Tom.  iv.  par.  sec.  col.  772.  Ep.  95.  Bullinger, 
Expos,  in  Ep.  ad.  Rom.  Cap.  vii.  p.  GO.  Tigur.  ir)37.] 

["  The  translator  has  hero  (from, 'his  meaning  is,' &c.)  entirely 
mistaken  BuUingcr's  words,  which  arc;  non  legis  quidem,  scd  corruptaj 
natura)  nostra)  vitio :  not  indeed  through  any  fault  of  the  law,  but 
through  the  fault  of  our  corrupt  nature.] 

[8  diserte  quidem,  Lat.] 


248  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

And  to  prove  that,  he  addeth ;  "  For  it  is  written,  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  eontinueth  not  in  all  things  -which  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  Now  unless  we  do  by 
the  deeds  of  the  law  understand  the  morals,  as  well  as  the 
ceremonials,  I  do  not  see  how  his  proof  can  hang  to  that 
which  went  before.  For  he  saith  expressly,  "In  all  things 
which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law^  to  do  them."  Now 
who  knoweth  not  that  the  ceremonials  were  not  written  alone, 
but  that  the  morals  were  written  also  ?  And  St  Augustine  in 
his  book,  De  Spiritu  et  litera,  cap.  viii.^  doth  by  many 
arguments  prove,  that  Paul  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  did  un- 
derstand the  morals  also^. 

Now  that  we  may  conclude  this  place,  I  will  here  recite 
the  words  of  the  apostle  in  the  eighth  chapter  to  the  Romans^, 
saying :  "  What  the  law  could  not  do,  inasmuch  as  it  was 
weak  through  the  flesh,  that  God  performed  by  sending  his 
own  Son  in  the  similitude  of  sinful  flesh,  and  by  sin  condemned 
sin  in  the  flesh;  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be 
fulfilled  in  us,  which  walk  not  after  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit." 
The  apostle  in  these  words  teacheth  us  two  things :  first, 
that  the  law  neither  can  now,  nor  never  could,  justify  us  men. 
The  fault  of  this  weakness  or  lack  of  ability  he  casteth  not 
upon  the  law,  which  is  of  itself  good  and  efi'ectual,  and  is  the 
doctrine  of  most  absolute  righteousness ;  but  he  layeth  the 
fault  thereof  upon  our  corrupt  flesh.  Our  flesh  neither  could, 
nor  can,  perform  that  which  is  required  of  us  by  the  law^  of 
God.  Whereupon  St  Peter,  in  the  council  held  at  Hierusalem, 
[Acts  XV.  10.]  is  read  to  have  said  :  "  Now  therefore  why  tempt  ye  God,  to 
put  on  the  disciples'  necks  the  yoke,  which  neither  our  fathers 
nor  we  were  able  to  bear  ?"     The  latter  is  inferred  upon  the 

{}  legis  hujus,  Lat. ;  of  this  law.] 

[2  prsesertim  cap.  8,  Lat.;  and  more  especially  in  chap.  8.] 

[3  Ac  ne  quisquam  putaret  hie  Apostolum  ea  lege  dixisse  neminem 
justificari,  qua?  in  sacramentis  vetevibus  multa  continet  figurata  prre- 
cepta,  unde  etiam  ipsa  est  circumcisio  carnis,  quam  die  octavo  accipore 
parvuli  jussi  sunt;  continue  subjunxit  quam  legem  dixcrit,  et  ait.  Per 
legem  enim  cognitio peccati,  &c. — Lib.  de  Spiritu  et  Litera.  ch.  viii.  Aug. 
Op.  Par.  1531,  Tom.  in.  fol.  172.  col.  2.  Several  similar  passages  are 
contained  in  the  same  treatise.] 

[*  verses  3.  4.  Bullinger  has  adopted  Erasmus'  rendering.  But 
see  below,  p.  258,  note  1.] 

[6  bona  lego,  Lat. ;  by  the  good  law.] 


VIII.]      USF,   FULFILLING,   AND   ABROGATION   OF   THE    LAW.      249 

first,  to  wit,  when  the  law  could  not  give  us  life,  nor  we  were 
able  to  do  that  which  the  law  required  at  our  hands,  then 
God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy  and  goodness,  sent  his  Son  into 
the  world,  that  he,  being  incarnate,  should  die  for  us,  and  so 
take  away  the  sin  of  our  imperfection,  and  bestow  on  us  his 
perfectness  and  fulness  of  the  law  **.  By  this  therefore  it  is  mani- 
fest that  Christ  hath  fulfilled  the  law,  and  that  he  is  the  per- 
fectness of  all  the  faithful  in  the  world. 

But  here  this  place  rcquireth  a  more  full  exposition,  how  riuist  hath 
Christ  hath  fulfilled  the  law,  and  how  he  is  made  our  perfect-  law.andis*^ 
ness.     First  of  all,  whatsoever  things  are  promised  and  pre- "e^^ofhe 

O  1  1  faithful. 

figured  in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  all  those  hath  Christ  our 
Lord  fulfilled.  For  those  promises  ;  "  The  seed  of  the  woman  [cen.ui.  15 ; 
shall  crush  the  serpents  head :  In  thee  shall  all  the  kindreds  ""'  ^'^ 
of  the  earth  be  blessed;"  and  other  more  innumerable  like 
to  these  did  our  Lord  fulfil,  when  he,  being  born  into  this 
world,  made  an  atonement  for  us,  and  brought  back  life  to  us 
again.  In  like  manner  he  fulfilled  all  the  ceremonials,  while 
he  himself,  being  both  priest  and  sacrifice,  did  oifer  up  himself, 
and  is  now  and  ever  an  eflfectual  and  everlasting  sacrifice,  and 
an  eternal  high  priest,  making  intercession  always  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father  for  all  faithful  believers.  He  also  doth 
spiritually  circumcise  the  faithful,  and  hath  given  them  in- 
stead of  circumcision  the  sacrament  of"  baptism.  He  is  our 
passover,  who  instead  of  the  paschal  lamb  hath  ordained 
the  Eucharist,  or  supper  of  the  Lord.  Finally,  he  is  the 
fulfilling^  and  perfectness  of  the  law  and  the  prophets.  More- 
over our  Lord  fulfilled  the  law,  in  that  he  did  most  ab- 
solutely in  all  points  satisfy  the  will  of  God,  being  himself 
the  holiest  of  alP,  in  whom  there  is  no  spot,  no  evil  concupi- 
scence, nor  any  sin  :  in  him  is  the  love  of  God  most  perfect, 
and  righteousness  altogether  absolute ;  which  righteousness 
he  doth  freely  communicate  to  us  that  are  most  unperfect,  if 
we  behove  and  have  our  hope  fast  settled  in  him'".  For  he 
forgiveth  us  our  sins,  being  made  a  cleansing  sacrifice  for  us, 

[c  perfectionem  suam  nobis  conferret  in  fide,  qui  est  perfectio  et 
plenitudo  legis,  Lat. ;  and  bestow  on  us  his  perfectness  in  faith,  being 
himself  the  perfectness  and  fulness  of  the  law.     Ed.  1577.] 

[■^  the  sacrament  of,  not  in  Lat.] 

[8  ct  mens,  Lat. ;  omitted.]  p  sanctus  sanctorum,  Lat.] 

[10  and  have — him,  not  in  Lat.] 


[Rom.  i 
24.1 


Life  is  pro 
mised  to 
them  that 


250  THE   THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

and  maketh  us  partakers  of  his  own  righteousness ;  which  is 
for  that  cause  called  imputed  righteousness'.  Whereunto  the 
testimonies  of  the  apostle  do  appertain.  "  God,"  saith  Paul,  "was 
in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing 
their  sins  unto  them.  For  him,  which  knew  no  sin,  he  made 
sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
by  him 2."  Again:  "Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  im- 
puted to  him  for  righteousness,  without  works^  So  also,  if 
we  believe  in  God  through  Christ,  our  faith  shall  be  imputed 
to  us  for  righteousness."  For  by  faith  we  lay  hold  on  Christ, 
whom  we  believe  to  have  made  most  absolute  satisfaction 
to  God  for  us,  and  so  consequently  that  God  for  Christ  his 
sake  is  pleased  with  us,  and  that  his  righteousness  is  imputed 
to  us  as  our  own''  (and  is  indeed  by  gift  our  own),  because  we 
are  now  the  sons  of  God. 

These  things  being  diligently  weighed,  it  shall  be  easy 
for  us  to  answer  them  which  make  this  question,  and  do 
demand :  Since  no  mortal  man  doth  of  himself  exactly  satisfy 

„.      the  law,  how  then  is  righteousness,  life,  and  salvation,  promised 

l^aw"""  to  them  that  do  observe  the  law?  Our  answer  is  forsooth, 
that  that  promise  hath  a  respect  to  the  perfect  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  wliich  is  imputed  unto  us.  Otherwise  it  is 
assuredly  certain,  that  the  holy  scripture  doth  not  so  much 
as  in  one  jot  disagree  or  square ^  in  any  point  from  itself. 
The  apostle  doth  plainly  say  :  "  If  there  had  a  law  been  given 
which  could  have  given  life,  then  had  righteousness  been  of 
the  law  :  but  now  the  scripture  hath  shut  up  all  under  sin,  that 
the  promise  might  be  given  by  faith  to  them  that  do  beheve." 
Wherefore  he  keepeth  or  doth  fulfil  the  law,  even  of  the  ten 
commandments,  who  doth  the  thing  for  which  the  law  was  chiefly 
ordained.  But  the  law  was  chiefly  ordained  (as  I  did  declare  a 
little  before)  to  the  end,  that  it  might  convince  us  all  of  sin  and 
damnation,  and  so  by  that  means  send  us  from  ourselves,  and 
lead  us  by  the  hand  to  Christ,  who  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law 

[1  imputativa,  liat.] 

[2  2  Cor.  V.  II),  21,  per  ilium,  Lat.;  Erasmus'  rendering.  Calvin 
reta'ins  the  "in  ipso"  of  the  Vulgate  ;_molius  enim  quadrat  menti  Pau- 
linrc  ilia  signiflcatio.  Com.  in  loc.  cit.] 

[3  certo  absque  opcribus,  Lat.] 

[4  Christi  justitiam  gratis  imputari,  Lat.] 

[5  discrcpare,  Lat.] 


Gal.  iii.  21, 


^ 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       251 

unto  justification  to  every  one  that  dotli  believe.    And  therefore  irow  we 
he  doth  fuhil  and  Icecp  the  law,  who  hath  no  confidence  in  himself  thtlawf 
and  his  own  works,  but,  committing  himself  to  the  very"  grace 
of  God,  doth  seek  all  righteousness  in  the  faith  of  Christ, 
Whereupon  now  it  is  evident,  that  these  two  sentences  of 
Christ  our  Lord  arc  of  one  sense  and  meaning ;    "  "Whoso-  [J"hn  vi.  47; 

O  '  Matt  xix. 

ever  believeth  in  me,  he  hath  life  everlasting  :"  and,  "If  thou  '71 
wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments."  For  Paul 
also  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts  saitli :  "  Be  it  Acts  xiii. 
known  unto  you,  brethren,  that  through  Christ  is  preached  to 
you  the  forgiveness  of  sins;  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are 
justified  from  all  the  things,  from  which  he  could  not  be 
justified  by  the  law  of  Moses."  And  to  this  place  now  be- 
longeth  all  the  work^  of  justification,  of  which  I  have  at  large 
disputed  in  another  place^. 

Now  that  faith,  wherewith  we  believe  that  Christ  hath  now  we 
satisfied  the  law,  and  that  he  is  our  righteousness  and  our  ^^^  'a^. 
perfection,   is  neither   of  our  own  nature,   nor  of  our  own 
merits,  but  is  by  the  grace  of  God  poured  into  us  through 
the  Holy  Spirit  which  is  given  into  our  hearts.      This  Spirit 
abiding  in  our  hearts  doth  inflame  our  breasts  with  the  love 
and  desire  of  God's  law,  to  do  our  endeavour  to  the  express- 
ing^ and  shewing  of  the  law  in  all  our  works  and  conversation : 
which  desire  and  endeavour,  although  they  be  never  fully 
accomplished  by  reason  of  the  flesh's  frailty '°,  or  weakness  of 
man's  nature,  which  remaineth  in  us  even  till  the  last  gasp  and 
end  of  our  life,  is  notwithstanding  acceptable  to  God  by  grace'' 
for  Christ  his  sake  alone  ;  neither  doth  any  godly  man  put  any 
confidence  in  this  other,  but  in  the  first  fulfilling  of  the  law  •-, 
as  that  which  is  only  absolute  and  perfect.      For  Paul  in  his 
epistle  to  the  Romans  crietli  out :    "  0  wretched  man  that  I 
am!  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death '2?" 
x\nd  yet  immediately  after  he  answereth ;  "I  thank  God,"  to  fR0m.vii.24, 
wit,  because  he  hath  redeemed  me  from  death,  "through  Jesus ""'  ^"'' 
Christ  our  Lord.     So  then  I  myself  with  the  mind  serve  the 

[c  vera3  gratioc,  Lat. ;  true  grace.] 

[7  negotium,  Lat.]  [s  Sec  Docatio  i.  Sorni.  G.] 

[9  legitime,  Lat. ;  omitted.]  [if>  carnis  ingenium,  Lat.] 

[11  seel  duntaxat,  Lat.]  p  tantum,  Lat. ;  omitted,  alone.] 

[13  ex  hoc  corpore  morti  obnoxio,  Lat. ;  Erasmus'  rendering.] 


252  THE    THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

law  of  God,  but  with  the  flesh  the  law  of  sin.  There  is  then  ^ 
no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  graifed^  in  Christ  Jesu, 
which  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  spirit,"  &c. 
Wherefore,  since  we  are  in  Christ,  we  are  in  grace,  and  there- 
fore is  God  pleased  with  our  works,  which,  being  given  to  us 
by  faith  ^  and  by  the  liberal  Spirit^  do  proceed  from  an  heart 
that  loveth  God,  the  giver  of  them  alF.  For  John  said : 
"  This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments ; 
and  his  commandments  are  not  grievous."  He  addeth  also 
[1  John  V.  3,  the  reason  thereof,  and  saith ;  "  For  all  that  is  born  of  God 

4,12,13.] 

overcometh  the  world :"  now  every  one  is  born  of  God  that 
doth  believe  ;  as  is  declared  in  the  first  of  St  John. 
Gods  com-  By  which  it  is  easy  to  reconcile   these  two  places,  which 

mandments  i  i       i  •  •  t  i  mi         i  o     /-n      i 

are  not  heavy  seem  at  a  blush  to  lar  one  with  another:  The  laws  of  God 

to  be  borne.  i  •    i  •   i 

are  heavy,  which  neither  we  nor  our  fathers  were  able  to 
[Acuxv.io;  bear:  and,  The  laws  of  God  are  not  grievous,  or  heavy 
to  be  borne.  For  they  are  not  heavy  to  the  faithful  which 
are  in  Christ^,  and  to  those  which  have  the  gift  of  God's 
Spirit,  that  is,  to  those  that  are  reconciled  to  God  by  Christ 
their  Lord  and  Saviour.  Without  Christ  and  faith  in  Christ 
they  are  most  grievous  and  heavy  to  be  borne  of  every 
unbeliever^.  So  the  faithful,  being  stirred  up  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  doth  voluntarily  and  of  his  own  accord  do  good  to 
all  men,  so  far  as  his  ability  doth  suifer  him,  and  will  not 
in  any  case  do  hurt  to  any  man :  not  for  because  he  feareth 
the  punishment  that  in  the  law  is  appointed  for  the  diso- 
bedient, unjust,  and  wrongful  dealers ;  but  for  because  he 
loveth  God.     And  so  also  he  fulfilleth  the  judicial  law. 

oftheabro-  Here  I  know  full  well  that  thou  wilt  make  this  objection 

fhe'uw!       and  say  :    If   the    law  be   fulfilled,   and  that  the  fulfilling  ^ 

thereof  hath  a   place  in   the  saints  and  faithful  ones,  what 

needed  then,  I  pray  you,  the  abrogating  of  the  law  ?  AVhat 

\}  nunc,  Lat.;  omitted:  now.] 

[2  qui  insiti  sunt,  Lat.,  and  Erasmus.]  [3  ex  fide,  Lat.] 

[4  ex  liberali  spiritu,  Lat.;  referring  to  Psalm  li.  12,  where  Calvin 
and  Bucer  read,  spiritu  liberali.     See  also  p.  147,  note  6.] 
[5  the  giver  of  them  all,  not  in  Lat.] 
[•>  insitis  in  Christo,  Lat.] 
["^  and  heavy — unbeliever,  not  in  Lat.] 
[8  that  the  fulfilling  thereof,  not  in  Lat.] 


VIU.]      USE,    FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION  OF  THE    LAW.       253 

needed  Paul,  and  all  the  best  divines,  to  dispute  so  largely 
of  the  abrogation  of  the  same?  I  will  therefore  say  somewhat 
of  the  abrogation  of  the  law,  first  generally,  and  then  by 
parts  peculiarly.  But  first  of  all,  these  words  of  the  Lord 
in  the  gospel  must  be  beaten  into  the  head  of  every  godly 
hearer^ :  '*  Think  not,"  saith  he,  "  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  [Matt  v. 
the  law  or  the  prophets :  yea,  I  came  not  to  destroy,  but  to 
fulfil  them.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass''^,  but  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  law  shall  not  pass,  till  all  be 
fulfilled.  "Whosoever  therefore  shall  loose  one  of  the  smallest 
of  these  commandments,  and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall  be 
called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  but  whosoever 
shall  do  and  teach  them,  he  shall  be  called  great  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven."  Let  every  one  therefore  be  assuredly  per- 
suaded that  the  law  of  God,  which  is  the  most  excellent  and 
perfect  will  of  God,  is  for  ever  eternal,  and  cannot  be  at 
any  time  dissolved,  either  by  men,  or  angels,  or  any  other 
creatures.  Let  every  man  think  that  the  law,  so  far  as  it 
is  the  rule  how  to  live  well  and  happily,  so  far  as  it  is  the 
bridle  wherewith  we  are  kept  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  so 
far  as  it  is  a  prick  to  awake  the  dulness  of  our  flesh,  and  so 
far  as  it  is  given  to  instruct,  correct,  and  rebuke  us  men,  that 
so  far,  I  say,  it  doth  remain  unabrogated'^,  and  hath  even  at 
this  day  her  commodity  in  the  church  of  God  :  and  therefore 
the  abrogating  of  the  law  consisteth  in  this  that  followeth. 

I  told  you  that  God's  commandments  require  the  whole 
man,  and  a  very  heavenly  ^^  kind  of  pcrfectness ;  which  who- 
soever performeth  not,  he  is  accursed  and  condemned  by 
the  law.  Now  no  man  doth  fulfil  that  righteousness :  there- 
fore are  we  all  accursed  by  the  law.  But  this  curse  is  taken 
away,  and  most  absolute  righteousness  is  freely  bestowed  on 
us,  through  Christ  Jesus.  For  Christ  redeemed  us  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  being  made  the  curse,  righteousness,  and 
sanctification  for  us  men.  And  so  in  this  sense  the  law  is  i 
abrogated ;  that  is,  the  curse  of  the  law  is  through  Christ 
taken  from  the  faithful,  and  true  righteousness  is  bestowed 
upon  us  through  grace  by  faith   in  the  same  Christ  Jesus '^ 

p  insculpenda  erunt  animo  pio,  Lat.] 

[10  donee  prcctereat,  Lat. ;   as  in  Auth.  Vcr.] 

[11  intactam,  Lat.]  ['^  plane  divinam,  Lat.] 

[13  through  grace — Jesus,  not  in  Lat.] 


254  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM. 

For  he  is  that  blessed  Seed  in  whom  all  the  kindreds  of  the 
earth  are  blessed.  He  is  our  righteousness.  For  Paul 
[Actsxiii.  saith,  "By  him  every  one  that  beheveth  is  justified  from  all 
things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of 
2  Moses."  Therefore  the  law  is  put  for  the  curse  of  the  law : 
or  else  the  law  of  God  is  taken  for  that  which  is  bewrayed 
or  made  manifest  by  the  law,  that  is  to  say,  it  is  taken  for 
sin;  for  by  the  law  cometli  the  knowledge  of  sin.  There- 
fore the  law  is  abrogated,  that  is,  sin  is  taken  away,  not 
that  it  should  not  be,  or  not  shew  itself^  in  us,  but  that  it 
should  not  be  imputed  unto  us  and  condemn  us  ;  "  for  there 

3  is  no  damnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesu^."  ISIoreover 
the  law  is  taken  for  the  vengeance  or  punishment  which  is 
by  the  law  appointed  for  transgressors.  Therefore  the  law 
is  abrogated,  because  the  punishment  appointed  by  the  law 

[1  Tim.  i.  9.]  is  taken  from  the  necks  of  the  faithful  believers ;  "for  the 
law  is  not  given  to  the  righteous  man."  For  Christ  deli- 
vered the  faithful  from  eternal  punishments,  whiles  he  being 
guiltless  did  suffer  afflictions  for  wicked  sinners.    Furthermore, 

[Rom.  viii.    the  apostle  saith  :  "  The  fleshly  mind  is  enmity  against  God : 

4  for  it  is  not  obedient  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  can  be." 
But  now  this  hatred  or  enmity  of  God's  law  is  by  faith 
pulled  out  of  the  hearts  of  the  faithful;  and  instead  of  it  is 
graffed  in  the  love  of  God's  most  holy  will :  so  that,  in  this 
sense  also,  the  law  is  said  to  be  abrogated,  because  the  ha- 
tred of  the  law  is  taken  away.  And  therefore  the  apostle 
compareth  them  that  are  under  the  law  to  bond-slaves,  and 
them  that  are  free  from  the  law  to  sons  and  children^:  to 
whom   also    he   attributeth  the   spirit,   not   of   bondage,   but 

Gal. iv.  of  adoption.  "For  because  ye  are  sons^,"  saith  he,  "God 
hath  sent  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  which  crieth, 
Abba,  Father,  &c."  To  these  may  be  added,  that  the  law  of 
^  God  hath  types  and  shadows,  and  that  the  ceremonies  are 
very^  burdensome,  even  as  also  the  whole  law  is  called  a 
yoke.  But  now  the  Son  of  God  came  into  this  world,  who, 
fulfilling  the  figures,  shewed  to  us  the  very  truth,  and  did 
abolish  those  types  and  shadows ;    so  that  now  no  man  can 

[1  Gxserat  suas  vires,  Lat.]  p  Horn.  viii.  1,  qui  insiti  sunt  in.] 

[3  liberis  sive  filiis,  Lat.]  [*»  ejus  filii,  Lat. ;  his  sons.] 

[5  satis  alioqui,  Lat. ;  are  otherwise  sufficiently.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULIILLIXG,    AND  ABROGATION   or   THE   LAW.      255 

condemn  us"  for  neglecting  or  passing  over  those  ceremonies 
or  figures:  and  so  again  in  that  sense  the  law  of  God  is 
abrogated,  that  is  to  saj,  that  kind  of  government  which 
Moses  ordained  did  come  to  nought,  when  Christ  did  come 
and  his  apostles  began  to  teach.  For  they,  without  regard 
of  the  ecclesiastical  regiment  appointed  by  Moses,  did  con- 
gregate churches,  to  which  they  taught  not  that  kind  of 
regiment  which  Moses  had  ordained.  For  they  did  con- 
stantly reject  the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  the  sacraments,  the 
sacrifices,  and  choice  of  days,  of  meats,  and  of  apparel,  which 
IMoses  had  taught  their  elders ;  and  instead  of  all  those  rites 
they  preached  Christ  alone,  and  his  two  sacraments,  &c.^ 

This  have  I  said  hitherto  generally^  touching  the  abro- xhe moral 
gation  of  the  law ;  and  now  again  I  will  more  largely  expound  abrogated, 
the  same  by  several  parts. 

The  whole  law^  is  divided  into  the  moral,  the  ceremonial, 
and  the  judicial  laws.      The  moral  law  now  is  contained  in 
the  ten  commandments,  the  first  precept  whereof  doth  teach 
us  to  honour  and  worship  one  God  alone,  and  not  to  match        i 
any  strange  gods  with  him.  This  commandment  did  our  Lord 
Jesus  in  the  gospel  so  earnestly  urge  and  diligently  teach, 
that  we  may  perceive  very  well  that  in  it  nothing  is  altered. 
The  second  precept  forbiddeth  idolatry,  that  is,  the  worship- 
ping and  honouring  of  all  manner  images,  whether  they  be        2 
the  images  of  God  himself,  or  of  any  of  his  creatures.     But  it 
is  known  that  the  apostles,  in  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  did 
use  all  means  that  they  could  to  banish  and  drive  away  all 
kind  of  idolatry.      Paul  and  John  cry,  "Flee  from  idolatry."  f 'j^;^J; ^"oV.] 
And  whereas  Christ  and  his  apostles  do  most  diligently  teach        -^ 
us  to  sanctify  and  glorify  God's  holy  name,  they  do  thereby 
give  their  consent  to  the  establishing  of  the  third  ^^  command- 
ment, which  doth  forbid  to  defile  God's  name  by  taking  it  in 
vain.    The  fourth  alone  of  all  the  commandments ^^  concerning 
the  sanctifying  of  the  sabbath-day,  is  of  St  Augustine  called        4 
ceremonial'".      But  it  must  not  be  simply  understood  to  bo 

[6  nos  judicarc,  Lat.] 

[7  ct  paucula  sacramcnta,  &c.,  Lat. ;  and  very  few  sacraments.] 

[8  ct  brevitcr,  Lat.;  omitted,  and  in  few  words] 

[»  lex  Dei,  Lat.]  [i"  the  third,  not  in  Lat.] 

[11  in  universe  dccalogo,  Lat.;  omitted,  of  all  the  ten.] 

[12  Inter  omnia  ilia  decem  praiccpta,  solum  ibi  quod  dc  Sabbato 


Eph. 


256  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [sERM. 

ceremonial :  for  so  far  forth  as  the  outward  worship  of  God 
requireth  a  certain  appointed  time  to  be  exercised  in,  and 
carrieth  with  it  the^  sacrifices  of  the  law,  so  far,  I  say,  it  is 
ceremonial ;  but  in  respect  that  it  teacheth  to  meet  in  holy 
assemblies  to  worship  God,  to  pray,  to  preach,  to  be  partakers 
of  the  sacraments,  and  to  offer  spiritual  sacrifices,  therein  it 
is  eternal  and  not  ceremonial :  as  I  have  before  declared  in 

5  the  exposition  of  the  sabbath  ^  The  fifth  precept,  touching 
the  honour  due  to  parents,  the  Lord  himself  doth  ratify  in  the 
fifteenth  chapter  of  Matthew's  gospel ;  even  as  he  doth  also 

B        very  diligently  teach    the    sixth  against    murder,   and    the 

7  seventh  against  adultery,  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  same  gos- 

8  pel.      The  eighth,  which  is  against  theft,  is  renewed  by  the 
ri  Thess.  iv.  apostle,  who  giveth  charge,  that  no  man  deceive^  his  brother, 

and  that  no  man  steal  any  more;  but  that  every  one  should 
labour  with  his  hands,  that  he  may  have  things  necessary  for 
himself,  and  be  able  to  give  to  him  that  wanteth.  The  ninth 
precept,  which  is  for  the  bridling  of  the  tongue,  so  that  no 
lie  be  made  nor  false  witness  borne  against  our  neighbour,  is 
by  Christ  himself  and  his  apostles  confirmed  so  often  as  they 
give  rules  for  the  ordering  of  the  tongue,  and  charge  every 
man  to  speak  the  truth  to  his  neighbour.  And  they  also  do 
condemn  evil  lusts  and  affections,  whereby  they  do  not  abro- 
gate but  repair  the  tenth^  commandment,  which  doth  forbid  all 
manner  of  concupiscence.  Therefore  the  whole  abrogation  of 
the  ten  commandments,  so  far  forth  as  they  are  abrogated, 
doth  consist  in  those  points  whereof  I  spake  even  now :  to  wit, 
that  Christ  in  faith  is  our  perfect  and  absolute  righteousness, 
&c.  the  apostle  bearing  witness  thereunto,  and  saying :  "  What 
the  law  could  not  do,  inasmuch  as  it  was  Aveak  through  the 
flesh,  God,  having  sent  his  own  Son  in  the  simiUtude  of  sin- 
ful flesh,  even  by  sin  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh ;  that  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  might  bo  fulfilled  in  us,  which  walk 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit :"  as  is  to  be  seen  in 
the  eighth  to  the  llomans^.     I  have  therefore  discussed  the 

positum  est,  figurate  observandum  pra3cipitur. — Aug.  Januario.  Ep.  119. 

c.  12.  Op.  Par.  1531.   Tom.  ii.  fol.  110.  col,  4.     In  the  Bened.  cd.  it 

stands  ad  Inquis.  Jan.  ii.  65.  c.  12.  P.] 

[1  externa,  L at. ;  omitted.]  [-  See  Decade  il.  Scrra.  4.] 

[3  fraudet  in  negotio,  Lat.]  [^  tentli,  not  in  Lat.] 

[5  verses  3,  4.     Bullinger  varies  in  this  quotation  from  himself  at 


VIII.]      USH,    rULKlLLlNG,    AND   AIJIIOGATION    OF    THE    LAW.       257 

bi'leliicr  of  this  matter,  in  this  place,  because  I  have  at  the 
full  spoken  of  it  in  the  treatise  of  the  ten  commandments. 

1  am  now  come  to  speak  of  the  ceremonials.  These  cere-  ','"« f^r 
menials  were  given  and  granted  until  the  time  of  amendment,  ^"^^i^^-' 
to  wit,  until  Messiah  should  come.  Messiah  is  already  come ;  ^^^'''^■ 
therefore  all  the  ceremonies,  even  to  the  coming,  death,  re- 
surrection, and  ascension  of  Christ  our  Lord  into  the  heavens, 
are  come  to  an  end,  and  have  no  place  any  longer  in  the 
church  of  the  Christians.  And  yet  here  we  must  and  do 
make  a  difference*'  betwkt  the  writings  concerning  the  cere- 
monies, and  the  very  things  of  the  ceremonies  that  are  set 
down  in  writing ;  I  mean,  the  very  ceremonies  themselves,  or 
actions  that  were  used.  For  the  writings  concerning  the 
ceremonies,  which  were  set  forth  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  are 
not  taken  away  from  Christians'^,  nor  abrogated,  so  that  they 
may  not  be  read,  retained,  or  used  in  the  church  :  as  I  declared 
in  the  second  sermon  of  the  first  decade^.  For  they  are 
effectual  to  instruct  us  in  Christ  Jesu,  while  in  them  Ave  do 
behold  the  manner  how  Christ  was  preached  and  prefigured  to 
the  ancient  church  of  the  holy  fathers.  Paul,  verily,  did 
most  significantly  preach  Christ  out  of  the  ceremonies ;  which 
no  man  will  deny  that  readeth  diligently  his  epistle  to  the 
Hebrews :  for  he  doth  wonderfully  in  that  epistle  lay  Christ 
and  all  his  gifts  before  the  eyes  of  all  the  church.  Therefore 
the  ceremonials  both  may  and  ought  to  be  read  in  the  church; 
so  yet  that  in  them  Christ  be  sought,  and,  when  he  is  fuund, 
be  aptly  preached.  And  for  that  cause,  in  the  fifth  and  sixth 
sermons  of  this  decade,  where  I  handled  the  ceremonials,  I 
annexed  unto  them  certain  notes  of  their  significations,  that 
I  might  open  a  way  for  the  students  of  the  scriptures  and 
lovers  of  Christ  to  go  forward  and  proceed  in  that  kind  of 
argument. 

Now  the  ceremonial  things,  or  stuff  of  the  ceremonies, 
of  which  sort  are  the  priesthood,  the  place,  the  time,  the 
sacrifice,  and  whatsoever  else  is  like  to  these,  are  utterly 
page  253,  and  from  Erasmus'  rendering,  in  these  points :  he  reads 
eo  quod  (which  Calvin  also  prefers),  instead  of  ea  parte  qua  imbccillis 
erat ; — and  Bub  specie  carnis  jyeccatricis,  instead  of  carnis  peccato  ob- 
noxiaj ; — and  instead  of  de  peccato,  per  peccalum  condemnavit  pec- 
catum.] 

[<»  necessario,  Lat.  omitted.]  [7  from  Christians,  not  in  Lat.] 

[8  Vol.  I.  p.  59.]  [^  res  cercmoniales,  is  BuUinger's  own  term.] 

[bullingeu,  II.J 


258  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sKRM. 

abrogated,  so  that  henceforth  they  are  neither  used,  nor  have 
any  place  in  the  church  of  Christ.  This  did  Jeremy  foretell 
in  the  third  chapter  of  his  prophecy,  saying :  "  In  those  days^ 
they  shall  make  no  more  boast  of  the  ark  of  the  Lord's  cove- 
nant ^r  no  man  shall  think  upon  it,  neither  shall  any  man  make 
mention  of  it ;  for  from  thenceforth  it  shall  neither  be  visited, 
neither  shall  such  things  be  done  any  raore^."  By  the  ark 
the  prophet  meaneth  those  points  of  the  law^  which  are 
abohshed  by  the  coming  of  Christ.  St  Paul,  in  his  epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  by  the  promise  that  God  made  to  Jeremy  ^ 
saying,  "that  he  would  make  a  new  covenant,"  doth  gather 

Heb.  viii.  this  observation  :  "  In  that  he  saith,  A  new  covenant,  he  hath 
worn  out  the  first;  for^  that  which  is  worn  out,  and  waxed  old, 
is  ready  to  vanish  away."  The  same  apostle  to  the  Ephesians 
saith:  "Christ  is  our  peace,  which  hath  made  both  one,  and 
broken  down  the  middle  wall,  that  was  a  stop  between  us ; 
taking  away  in  his  flesh''  the  hatred,  even  the  law  of  com- 
mandments contained  in  ordinances,  for  to  make  of  twain 
one  new  man  in  himself,  so  making  peace."  Ephes.  ii.  God 
verily  severed  the  Jews  from  the  Gentiles,  while  he  chose 
and  consecrated  them  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  himself,  not 
by  the  calling  of  the  word  only,  but  also  by  the  sacraments. 
For  there  were  ceremonies  prescribed  and  given,  which,  as  a 
middle  wall  betwixt  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  should  compass 
in  and  contain^  the  heritage  of  the  Lord:  so  that  in  the 
ceremonies  the  note  of  difference^  did  consist,  whereby  the 
Jews  were  known  to  be  the  lawful  heirs^°  of  God's  good  pro- 
mises, whereof  the  Gentiles  had  no  part  or  portion.  But 
Christ  came  into  the  world,  to  the  intent  that  of  two  people, 
the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  he  might  make  one  church ;  and 

fh*JtJ!!iddlf  therefore  did  ho  break  down  the  middle  wall  that  parted 
p«-    them,  that  is,  he  did  clean  take  away  the  ceremonial  ordi- 

[1  (licit  Dominus,  Lat.  omitted  ;  saith  the  Lord.] 
[2  non  dicant  amplius,  area  fcederis  Domini,  Lat.] 
[3  nequc  fiet  ultra,  Lat. ;  neither  shall  that  be  done  any  more. 

Auth.  Ver.] 

[4  etiam  alia  legalia,  Lat.]  [5  apud  Jeremiam,  Lat.] 

[°  porro,  Lat.]  [7  per  carnem  suam,  Lat.] 

[s  includcrent,  Lat. ;  inclose.] 

[3  discriminis  professio,  Lat.] 

[10  ac  (adeo  ut)  Judoeis,  ceu  justis  liceredibus  addiceretm-  hrcreditas, 

Lat.] 


wall 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       259 

nances  -svliicli  were  a  stop  betwixt  them".    For  Christ  in  that 

case  did  the  same  that  princes  are  wont  to  do,  who,  when 

thev  go  about  to  brine;  two  nations,  that  are  at  variance,  into 

one  kingdom  and  under  one  authority,  do  first  take  away  the 

diversity  of  arms^^  which  are  the  cognisances  of  their  ancient 

hatred,  that  when  the  cause  of  the  remembrance  of  the  grudge 

is  taken  from  their  eyes,  they  may  the  better  agree  betwixt 

themselves  in  mind  and  behaviour.      For  even  so  did  Christ 

take  away  circumcision,  the  sacrifices,  and  all  the  ceremonies", 

to  the  end  that  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  he  might  make  one 

church  and  fellowship^*.     Paul,  to  the  Colossians,  compareth 

the  ceremonies  to  an  obligation,  or  hand-writing'^,  whereby  God  ceremonies 

hath  us  bound,  as  it  were,  so  that  we  cannot  deny  the  guilt. 

But  he  saith  that  we  were  so  delivered  by  Christ  from  the 

guilt,  that  the  obligation  or  hand-writing  was  cancelled  or 

torn  in  pieces.      But  by  the  cancelling  of  the  hand-writing 

the  debtor  is  acquitted  and  set  at  liberty.      And  therefore 

we  read,  that  at  the  death  of  our  Lord  the  veil  of  the  temple 

was  torn  in  pieces  from  the  bottom  up  to  the  very  top  ;  that  ^J^^jy"^ 

thereby  all  people  might  understand,  both  that  sins  were  then  ^^^^^^^,|j 

forgiven  them,  and  that  the  people  of  God  was  set  at  liberty 

from  all  the  burden  and  yoke  of  the  law.     Yerily,  when  the 

wicked,  stiff-necked,  and  disloyal'^  people  of  the  Jews  did,  after 

the  death  of  Christ,  go  on  to  exercise,  prorogue'",  and  to  obtrude'^ 

to  all  men  the  ceremonies,  which  were  finished  and  abrogated 

at  the  coming  of  Messiah'^;  then  Christ,  sitting  at  the  right  hand 

of  the  Father,  did  by  the  means  of  the  Roman  princes  utterly 

deface  their  city,  and  overthrow  ^^  the  temple,  wherein  they 


[11  which — them,  not  in  Lat.] 

[12  diversas  tcsseras,  Lat. ;  the  variety  of  badges.] 

[13  legah'bus,  Lat.]  [i'  and  fellowship,  not  in  Lat.] 

[15  Coloss.  ii.  14.  Calvin's  words,  in  his  Commentary  on  this  pas- 
sage, are  here  again  largely  adopted  by  Bullinger.  See  also  Calfhill's 
Answer,  p.  123.] 

[16  perfidus,  Lat.] 

[17  prorogarc,  Lat. ;  to  continue  or  prolong.] 

[18  pictatis  ergo  in  templo,  Lat.  omitted  ;  as  a  matter  of  religion  in 
the  temple.] 

[liJ  at  the  coming  of  Messiah,  not  in  Lat.] 

[20  funditus,  Lat.  omitted;  to  its  foundations.] 

[21  wherein  thev  boasted,  not  in  Lat.] 

17—2 


260  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [sEll.M. 

hundred  years  before  Daniel's  time,  foretold  and  said  should 
come  to  pass.  Neither  hitherto  yet,  by  the  space  of  1500  years 
and  more,  have  they  had  any  place  to  restore  and  set  up  again 
their  city  and  temple. 

In  Theodoretus  and  Ruffinus  we  read  that  in  the  reign  of 
Julian  the  emperor  the  Jews,  with  very  great  hope  and  pre- 
sumption, went  about  to  build  a  new  temple ;  and  that  they 
sought  the  foundation  thereof  in  the  place  where  that  temple 
stood  which  was  burnt  by  Titus,  son  and  general ^  to  the  em- 
peror Vespasian:  but  Christ  our  Lord  (who  in  the  gospel  fore- 
told out  of  Daniel's  prophecy  the  desolation  thereof,  and  did 
among  other  speeches  say,  "And  Ilierusalem  shall  be  trodden 
under  foot  of  the  Gentiles,  till  the  time  of  the  Gentiles  be 
fulfilled,")  did  mightily  repress  their  wicked  endeavours,  and 
hinder  their  labour  for  going  forward.  For  when  they  had 
gathered  and  brought  together  many  thousand  bushels  of  lime 
and  chalk,  then  suddenly  came  a  whirlwind  with  a  wonderful 
storm  and  blustering,  which  scattered  abroad  and  carried  away 
the  store  of  stuff  by  them  provided.  There  happened  also  a 
terrible  earthquake,  by  which  all  the  buildings  almost  of  the 
whole  place  were  swept  away,  and  made  even  with  the 
ground.  Finally,  when  a  great  company,  which  were  busy 
in  the  work,  did  the  same  night  remain,  or  take  their 
rest,  in  a  certain  porch  or  gallery  near  to  the  new  begun  city 
and  temple,  the  whole  building  and  roof  thereof,  falling  down 
on  a  sudden,  slew  all  the  number  that  were  within  the  reach 
thereof.  In  the  morning  they  which  remained  alive  ran  to- 
gether to  seek  every  man  for  his  friend  among  them  that 
were  slain  by  the  ruinous  building.  And  when  those  terrors 
could  do  no  good,  nor  turn  them  from  their  purpose,  then 
suddenly  out  of  the  trenches,  foundations,  and  storehouses 
hard  by,  where  their  tools  and  other  necessaries  lay,  there 
sprang  forth  a  fearful  fire,  which  burnt  many  that  urged  the 
work,  and  compelled  the  rest  to  take  their  heels.  For  in  that 
one  day  it  brake  forth  sundry  times,  and  so  at  last  repressed 
the  stubborn  rashness  of  that  stiff-necked  people.  And  for 
because  these  things  should  not  be  thought  to  have  happened 
casually  or  at  adventures,  the  night  before  and  the  night  fol- 
lowing there  appeared  in  the  sky  a  bright  or  glistering  sign 
of  the  cross,  and  the  garments  of  the  Jews  were  filled  over 
[1  and  general,  not  in  Lat.] 


VIII.]       USU,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABHOGATION   OF   THE    LAW.       2GI 

with  crosses,  not  bright  but  black,  •v\liich  could  not  be  rid 
away  or  wiped  out  by  any  pains-taking  or  manner  of  means. 
They  therefore,  in  spite  of  their  teeth  and  full  sore  against 
their  wills,  being  compelled  with  those  horrible  terrors,  fearful 
judgments,  and  bitter  plagues  of  Christ  our  Lord,  forsook  the 
place,  and  fled  every  man  to  his  house,  leaving  the  work  un- 
done, and  openly  confessing,  that  Jesus  Christ,  whom  their 
forefathers  had  crucified,  is  a  most  mighty  God,  howsoever 
Julian,  with  Pharao-,  and  the  chief  of  the  Jews,  did  persevere 
still  in  their  disloyalty  and  despiteful  blasphemy  against  him^ 
and  his  holy  church'. 

But  howsoever  the  Jews  do  even  at  this  day  abide  in 
their  wilful  stubbornness,  the  Lord  did  from  heaven  declare 
openly  enough,  that  he  is  no  longer  delighted  with  the^ 
ceremonial  rites,  because  he  destroyed  all  the  instruments 
belonging  to  that  ancient  kmd  of  worship ;  and  made  the 
very  shop  of  that  old  religion,  I  mean  the  temple  and  city 
of  nierusalem,  level  with  the  ground.  Touching  the  temple, 
the  Lord  in  the  gospel  spake  to  his  disciples,  when  they 
with  wondering  did  behold  it  ^  and  said:  "Do  ye  not  sec  [Matt.  xxiv. 
all  these  things?  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  there  shall  not  be  44.] "  ^'"'" 
left  here  one  stone  standing  upon  another."  And  again,  weep- 
ing over  the  unthankful  city,  he  said :  "  They  shall  not  leave 
in  thee  one  stone  standing  upon  another,  because  thou 
knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation.""  And  now,  that  all 
this  was  word  for  word  accomplished  and  fully  finished, 
Josephus,  an  eye-witness  of  the  same,  doth  largely  testify  in 
the  eighteenth  chapter  of  his  seventh  book  De  Bello  Judaico'. 
Even  very  now  I  told  you,  that  from  one  thousand  and  five 
hundred  years  ago  unto  this  present  time  the  Jews  never 
had  any  place  given  them  to  build  their  temple  up  in  again  : 
whereby,    if   they  were  not  beside  themselves,   they  might 

[2  licet  cum  Pharaone,  ct  Julianus  ct  potior  Judrcorum  turlta,  Lat.] 

[3  contra  Christum,  Lat. ;  and  his  holy  church,  not  in  Lat.] 

[^  Vide  Theodorct.  Eccl.  Hist.  in.  20.  et  Ruffin.  Aquil.  Ilist.Ecclos. 

Lib.  I.  cap.  37.   38.  39.] 
[5  legalibus  vol,  Lat.] 
[c  coinmonstrantibus,  Lat. ;  point  it  out.] 
[7  This  reference  is  according  to  the  Latin  edition  of  Joscplui?, 

Basil,  1540.     In  the  more  modern  editions  the  account  is  contained  in 

the  chapters  of  the  si.^th,  and  the  first  chapter  of  the  seventh  hook,  dc 

Bell.  Jud.l 


262  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERJI. 

easily    gather,   that  the   Messiah  is    ah'eady  come   into  the 
world,  and  that  he  hath  abrogated  all  the  ceremonial  rites. 
Rites  or  It  is  a  Ycrj  slender,  or  rather  no  defence  at  all  for  the 

how  they  are  Jews  to  allcffe  the  words  in  the  law,  which  are  many  times 

perpetual  or  °  .  i  •  i       i  -\r  i      1 1 

everlasting,  rehcarscd,  where  the  ceremonies  are  described :  "Ye  shall 
keep  it  for  an  everlasting  ordinance."  For  in  this  sense 
everlasting  is  taken  for  long  lasting  and  unchangeable,  so 
far  forth  as  it  hath  respect  unto  the  will  or  authority  of 
mankind^.  For  the  Lord  did  with  threatening  of  grievous 
punishments  forbid  that  mankind's  unadvisedness  should 
change  or  abrogate  the  holy  ceremonies.  And  yet,  since 
he  did  ordain  those  ceremonies  until  the  time  of  amendment, 
he  2  doth  neither  sin,  nor  yet  incur  the  crime  of  unconstancy, 
when  he  doth  change  or  take  away  the  ceremonies  according 
to  the  determinate  purpose  which  he  intended  from  the  be- 
ginning. Moreover,  so  long  as  the  thing  signified^  doth  not 
decay,  and  that  the  shadow  only,  or  raomentany  figure*,  doth 
vanish  away,  it  is  assuredly  certain  that  the  ceremony  doth 
yet  remain  in  full  effect  and  substance^.  The  whole  man 
doth  live  for  ever ;  and  yet  the  things  that  are  temporal  or 
corruptible  in  him  do  perish  in  death,  and  are  abolished  in 
his  clarification''. 

The  priest-  But  that  all   thcsc  things   may   appear  as  clear  as  the 

grted.^  '°'  daylight,  I  will  particularly  run  through  and  touch  the  more 
notable  sort  of  ceremonies.  That  the  priesthood  of  Aaron 
is  utterly  abrogated,  it  is  evident  by  the  words  which"^  the 

rpsaim ex. 4 ; apostle  citoth  out  of  David,  saying:  "The  Lord  hath  sworn, 
and  will  not  repent.  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  the 
order  of  Melchisedech."  Christ,  therefore,  is  the  one  and 
only  high  priest,  and  that  too  an  everlasting  priest,  having 
an  immutable  priesthood,  which  cannot  by  succession  pass 
from  him  to  any  other  man  or  angel.  For  he  now,  standing 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  in  heaven,  the  very  true 
temple  which  was  prefigured  by  the  tabernacle  and  temple 
at  Jerusalem,  doth  make  intercession  for  us,  and  doth  all  the 
oflices  of  an  high  priest :  of  whom  the  apostle  of  Christ,  St 
Paul,  doth  speak  very  largely  in  his  epistle  unto  the  Hebrews. 

[1  quantum  attinet  homines,  Lut.]  [2  Deus,  Lat.] 

[3  per  ritum,  Lat.;  by  the  ceremony.] 

[4  cadit  et,  Lat. ;  falls,  and.]  [5  in  substantia  sua,  Lat.] 

[6  i.  c.  glorification.]  [7  id  maxime  arguit  quod,  Lat.] 


VIII.]      USE,    FULFILLING,   AND  ABUOGATION   OF   Till;    LAW.        2G3 

This  Christ  Jesus,  our  high  priest,  hath  consecrated  all  the 
faithful  to  be  kings  and  priests  unto  himself.  And  yet  not- 
withstanding he  doth  ordain  ministers  of  the  church,  by 
doctrine  and  examples  to  instruct  the  church,  and  to  minister 
the  sacraments  ;  I  mean,  not  those  old  and  ancient  ones,  but 
those  which  the  Lord  hath  substituted  instead  of  the  old 
ones.  What  doctrine  they  must  teach,  he  doth  expressly 
declare.  The  mystical  attire  and  garments  of  the  priesthood 
he  neither  did  commend  to  his  apostles,  nor  leave  to  his 
church,  but  took  them  away  with  all  the  ceremonies^  that 
are  called  the  middle  wall  betwixt  the  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
The  Lord  himself  and  his  apostle  Paul  will  have  the  pastors 
of  the  people  clad  with  righteousness  and  honesty  ;  and  do 
precisely  remove  the  ministers  of  the  church  from  superiority 
and  secular  affairs.  They  do  also  appoint  stipends  for  the 
ministers  to  live  upon  ;  yet  not  those  which  the  law  allowed  Matt.  x. 
them,  but  such  as  were  most  tolerable  and  convenient  for  the 
state  and  condition  of  every  church. 

The  Lord  left  the   place  to  serve  and  worship   God   in  The  place  for 

.  ,  .      T  Ml  to  worship 

free,  without  exception  or  binding  to  any  one  prescribed  or  p^°^*^^'^^.g 
peculiar  place,  when  in  the  gospel  after  John  he  said  :  "  The  Xo"se°where 
hour  shall  come,  and  is  already,  when  the  true  worshippers  a^J'the'con- 
shall    worship  the  Father  neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  at  {fkf^!"" 
Jerusalem,  but  in  the  spirit  and  in  truth  :  for  such  the  Father  23,°24.]'''  ^'' 
requireth  to  worship  him.      God  is  a  Spirit ;  and  they  that 
worship  him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."     The 
apostle  followed  the  Lord  in  this  doctrine,  and  said  ;   "  I  will  H  Tim.  u.  s.] 
that  men  pray  in  every  place,  lifting  up  pure  hands,  without 
anger."    Neither  did  the  Lord  in  vain,  as  I  shewed  you  even 
now,  suffer  the  temple  to  be  utterly  overthrown,  considering 
that  at  his  death  he  had  rent  the  veil  thereof.     And  yet,  for 
all   that,   the   ecclesiastical  assemblies  are  not  thereby  con- 
demned :    of  which  I  spake  in  the  exposition  of  the  fourth 
precept^,  "Remember  that  thou  keep  holy  the  sabbath-day." 
Verily,  the  tabernacle  and  the  temple  bare  the  type  of  the 
catholic  church  of  God,  out  of  which  there  are  no  prayers 
nor  oblations  acceptable  to  the    Lord.      But  the   church  is 
extended  to  the  very  ends  of  the  world.     And  yet  it  follow- 
eth  not  thereupon,  that  all  are  in  the  church  which  are  in 
the  world :  they  alone  are  in  the  church,  which  through  the 
[^  decretis,  Lat.]  p  See  Vol.  i.  page  255.] 


2Gt  THE   TIlinD  DECADE.  [SEUM. 

catholic  faith  are  in  the  fellowship  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  by  the 
agreement  of  doctrine,  by  charity,  and  by  the  participation  of 
the  sacraments  (unless  some  great  necessity  hinder  them),  are 
Tosnrrificp  in  the  communiou  of  the  holy  saints.  But  they  burn  incense 
iiiiws.  and  sacrifice  in  high  places,  whosoever  seek  after  any  other 
sacrifice  than  the  one  and  only  oblation  of  Christ  Jesus ;  or 
look  for  any  other  to  offer  their  prayers  to  God  the  Father 
than  Christ  alone  ^  as  they  are  taught  by  the  mouth  of  the 
pastor  sincerely  preaching  the  word  of  God.  Moreover  the 
church  of  God  hath  no  need  now  of  any  ark,  any  table,  any 
shcwbread,  any  golden  candlestick,  any  altar  either  of  incense 
or  burnt-offerings,  nor  yet  of  any  brasen  laver :  for  Christ 
alone  is  all  in  alF  to  the  catholic  church;  which  church  hath 
all  these  things  spiritually  and  effectually  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
can  seek  for  nothing  in  any  other  creatures ;  insomuch  that, 
if  it  perceive  any  man  to  bring  in  again  either  these  or  such 
like  ceremonial  instruments,  it  doth  sharply  rebuke  and 
bitterly  cursc^  him  for  his  unwarrantable  rashness  and  blas- 
phemous presumption  in  the  church  of  Christ.  For  what 
need  hath  the  church  of  shadows  and  figures,  when  it  doth 
now  enjoy''  the  thing  itself,  even  Christ  Jesus,  whose  shadow 
and  figure  the  ceremonies  bare  ?  Moreover  the  church  hath 
signs  enough,  in  that  it  hath  received  of  Christ  two  sacra- 
mental signs,  wherein  are  contained  all  the  things  which 
the  old  church  did  comprehend^  in  sundry  and  very  many 
figures. 
The  holy  Furthermore,  he  hath  left  the  holy  time,  to  worship  God 

time  is  free.     _  ',  ,  . 

[Miri<.ii.  27,  in,  free  to  our  choice,  who  in  the  gospel  saith :  "The  sabbath 
was  made  for  man,  not  man  for  the  sabbath :  therefore  the 
Son  of  Man  is  Lord  also  of  the  sabbath."      And  the  apostle 

[coioss.  ii.  l*aul  saith:  "Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat,  or 
drink,  or  in  part  of  an  holy  day^,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of 
the  sabbaths  :  which  arc  the  shadows  of  things  to  come ;  but 
the  body  is  of  Christ."      Of  the  christian  sabbath  I  spake  in 

[1  et  alium  in  oramlo  et  sacrificando  modum  tciicnt,  quam  vcrbo 
pastoris  in  ecclesia  est  traditum,  Lat. ;  and  practise  another  method 
of  prayer  and  sacrifice  than,  &c.] 

[2  hccc  omnia,  Lat. ;  is  all  these  things.] 

[3  execrctur,  Lat. ;  for  his — Christ,  not  in  Lat.] 

[■*  per  fidem,  Lat.  omitted  ;  by  faith  :  whose — bare,  not  in  Lat.] 

[5  habuit,  Lat.]  [^  So  Auth.  Ver.  niarg.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.      2G5 

the  exposition  of  the  fourth  commandment  ^  As  for  the  new 
moons,  they  are  not  solemnized  by  the  church  of  Christ,  in- 
somuch as  it  is  taught  by  Christ  to  attribute  to  God^  not 
the  beginning  of  months  only,  but  the  -whole  year  also,  and 
the  commodity''  thereof,  with  the  light  of  the  sun,  the  moon, 
and  all  the  stars  in  heaven. 

jNIoreover  the  Christians  do  celebrate  their  passovcr  more 
spiritually  than  bodily  ;  even  as  also  they  do  solemnize  their 
rcntccost,  or  AVhitsuntide^*^.  For  as  he  sent  his  Spirit  upon  his 
disciples,  so  doth  he  daily  send  it  upon  all  the  faithful.  And 
that  is  the  cause  that  in  the  faithful  the  alarm  is  stricken  up 
to  encourage  them  as  soldiers  to  skirmish  with  their  enemies". 
For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  faithful  are 
daily  assaulted,  and  provoked  to  battle,  by  the  world,  and  by 
the  devil  the  prince  of  the  world'-.  Furthermore,  the  feast 
of  propitiation,  being  once  finished  upon  the  cross,  endureth 
for  ever :  neither  do  the  saints  any  more  send  out  a  scape- 
goat, to  bear  their  sins  into  the  desert'^  ;  for  Christ  our  Lord 
came  once,  and  was  oifered  up,  and  by  his  sacrifice  took  away 
the  sins  of  all  the  world.  Finally,  since  the  faithful  do  daily 
consider  and  bear  in  their  minds,  that  they  have  no  abiding 
place  in  this  transitory  world,  but  that  they  look  after  a  place 
to  come ;  they  need  not,  as  the  Jews  did,  once  a  year  to  cele- 
brate the  feast  of  tabernacles.  In  like  manner,  the  faithful  do 
no  more  acknowledge  any  year  of  jubilee :  for  Christ  came 
once,  and  preached  unto  us  that  acceptable  year,  even  the 
gospel,  whereby  it  is  proclaimed  that  all  our  sins  and  iniqui- 
ties are  clearly  forgiven  us.  For  so  doth  Christ  himself  in- 
terpret it'^  in  the  fourth  of  St  Luke's  gospel,  taking  occasion 
to  speak  of  it  out  of  the  sixty-first  chapter  of  Esay's  prophecy. 
And  thus  the  holy  time  and  festival  days  are  abrogated  by 
Christ  in  his  holy  church ;  which  notwithstanding  is  not  left 
destitute  of  any  holy  thing  or  necessary  matter. 

[7  Decade  ii.  Serm.  4.] 

[8  creatori,  Lat.  omitted  ;  the  maker  of  tliom.] 
p  provcntum,  Lat.] 

[10  or  Whitsuntide,  added  by  the  translator.] 

[11  Semper  autcm  hie   classicum  camiiit  ad   pugnam,    Lat.     See 
above,  page  1G9.] 

[12  hujus  seculi,  Lat.] 

[13  to  bear— desert,  not  in  Liit.]  [>'  lircc  dcclarat,  Lat.J 


The  Romish 
jubilee. 


2G6  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

But  now  because  this  present  year,  wherein  this  book  is 
first  of  all  printed,  is  the  year  of  grace  1550,  and  according 
to  the  Romish  tradition  is  called  the  year  of  jubilee ;  I  am 
therefore  compelled,  as  it  were  of  necessity,  to  make  a  little 
digression,  and  speak  somewhat  of  the  Romish  jubilee. 

I  do  therefore  call  it  the  Romish,  and  not  the  christian, 
jubilee,  because,  as  I  shewed  you  even  now,  the  church  of 
Christ,  after  our  redemption  wrought  by  Christ  and  preached 
by  the  gospel,  doth  neither  acknowledge  nor  receive  any 
other  year  of  jubilee.  In  the  ancient  Jewish  year  of  jubilee 
there  is  to  be  considered  the  meaning  of  the  letter,  and  of  the 
spirit^  According  to  the  letter,  bondmen  were  set  at  liberty, 
and  lawful  heirs  did  receive  again  their  patrimony  and  pos- 
sessions, which  either  w^as  changed  away  or  otherwise  gone 
from  them.  The  meaning  ^  of  that  order,  as  it  could  not  be 
brought  again  into  all  kingdoms  in  these  latter  days^  without 
the  trouble  of  all  estates,  so  it  is  little  set  by  and  the  care  of 
the  oppressed  utterly  neglected  by  the  holy  popes ^  who 
now  of  late^  brought  in  the  year  of  jubilee,  and  preached  it 
unto  the  foolish  world,  not  for  any  zeal  they  had  to  help 
the  oppressed,  but  for  the  desire  they  had,  by  robbing  the 
world,  to  augment  their  own  treasures'^.  The  spiritual  and 
hidden  mystery  of  the  jubilee  did  commend'^  unto  them  of  old 
the  free  remission  of  all  sins  through  Christ  by  faith  in  Christ : 
which  free  grace  cannot,  without  reproach  to  Christ,  be  other- 
wise preached  than  it  hath  been  already  taught  by  the  holy 
gospel.  Therefore  the  church  was  without  the  observation  of 
any  year  of  jubilee  by  the  space  of  1300  years  after  Christ 
his  incarnation.  At  last,  up  start  Bonifacius,  the  eighth  of 
that  name,  bishop  of  Rome^  who  first  of  all  invented  that 
wicked  ordinance.  For  Platina,  in  the  life  of  that  Bonifacius, 
saith :  "This  is  he  that  first  brought  in  tlio  jubilee,  in  the 
year  of  Christ  1300,  wherein  he  granted  full  remission  of  all 

[1  consicleratur  litem  et  spiritus,  Lat.] 

[2  Is  ritus,  Lat.]  [3  hodie,  Lat.] 

[4  non  admodum  curant  beatissimi  patres,  Lat.] 

[5  now  of  late,  not  in  Lat.] 

[6  ut  opibus  suis  plurimum  acccdat,  is  the  Lat.,  rendered  by,  not 
for  any — own  treasures.] 

[7  Christum  et  gratuitam  ejus,  Lat. ;  Christ,  and  his  free,  &c.] 

[8  cujus  nomino  et  Sextus  Decret.  prodiit,  Lat.  omitted;  under 
whoso  name  the  sixth  book  of  Decretals  also  was  put  forth.] 


VIII.]      USE,   IL'LFILLING,  AND  ABUOGATIOX   OF   THE   LAW.       267 

their  sins  to  as  many  as  visited  the  see  apostolical.  And  the 
same  did  he  ordain  to  be  observed  every  hundredth  year."  So 
then  the  church  of  Christ  was  without  this  jubilee,  without 
peril  of  salvation,  by  the  space  of  1300  years.  And  therefore 
may  we  also  be  without  it  without  all  peril  and  damage,  yea, 
to  our  great  profit  and  commodity.  For  if  our  Romanists 
go  on  to  obtrude  it  to  the  world  as  a  thing  necessary  to  sal- 
vation, then  shall  they  condemn  the  universal  church  which 
■was  before  pope  Boniface  his  time,  who  first  brought  in  this 
unacquainted  jubilee.  Thus  we  are  so  far  from  not^  being 
able  to  be  without  it,  that  we  ought  by  all  means  possible  to 
detest  and  abhor  it  as  a  very  wicked  and  blasphemous 
ordinance ;  considering  that  we  have  to  believe  that  the 
jubilee  is  utterly  abrogated  by  Christ,  and  also  that  all  sins 
are  freely  through  Christ  forgiven  to  all  that  believe,  in  what 
place  of  the  world  soever  they  live  and  arc  conversant  in. 

This  pope  Boniface  doth  to  his  false  promise  and  unpure 
place  annex  the  remission  of  sins.  Now  1  doubt  whether  this 
blasphemous  antichrist^''  could  do  any  thing  more  horrible, 
and  more  against  the  honour  of  the  Saviour  ^^  For  therein 
is  defiled  the  glory  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  who  is 
the  only  health  ^^  of  all  the  world.  Therein  is  defiled  the 
salvation  of  many  thousands,  for  which  Christ  died  upon  the 
cross.  And  therein  also  is  defiled  the  glory  of  christian  faith, 
by  which  alone  we  are  made  partakers  of  eternal  salvation. 
This  ungracious  and  wicked  pope  was  ho  of  whom  that  com- 
mon proverb  runneth  :  "  He  entered  like  a  wolf,  he  reigned 
like  a  lion,  and  died  like  a  dog^-^."  For  verily  so  blasphemous 
an  ordinance  was  worthy  of  such  an  author ;  so  foolish  a 
people  was  worthy  of  such  a  pastor ;  and  so  devilish  a  pope 
was  worthy  of  such  an  end'i      Platina  writeth,  that  in  that 

p  non  tantum  illo  carerc  possumus,  Lat.] 

[10  "blasphemous  antichrist"  is  not  in  the  original.] 

[11  et  execrandum,  Lat.;  and  to  be  abhorred.] 

[12  Salvatoris,  Lat.;  Saviour.] 

[13  See  Homily  for  Whit-sunday,  Part  II.  page  425.  Oxford,  1832. 
"It  is  reported,  that  Celcstine"  (his  predecessor)  "prophesied  of  him, 
Ascendisti  ut  vulpes,  Itegnabis  ut  leo,  Alorieris  ut  canis. — Of  this 
Pope  (Boniface)  a  certain  versifier  wrote  thus : 

Ingreditur  vulpes,  regnat  leo,  scd  canis  exit ; 
Re  tandem  vera,  si  sic  fuit,  ccce  chimera."] 

[!•*  and  so— end,  not  in  the  original.] 


2G8  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

year  of  jubilee  there  came  so  great  heaps  of  people  to  Rome, 
that  although  the  city  were  indifferently  large  enough,  yet  one 
man  could  not  for  throng  pass  by  another  ^  For  the  world 
will  needs  be  deceived:  if  it  were  not  so,  they  would  give  ear 
unto  the  Lord  which  crieth,  "  0  all  ye  that  thirst,  come  to  the 
waters,  and  ye  that  have  no  money,  draw  nigh.  Why  spend  yc 
your  money  upon  a  thing  of  nought,  &c."  Esay  Iv.,  and  John 
iv.  vii.  Now  all  the  while  that  the  world  was  set  thus  on  mad- 
ding, the  righteous  Lord  was  not  asleep,  nor  yet  did  dissemble 
how  much  they  displeased  him  with  that  devilish"  invention. 
For  the  very  same  year  he  stirred  up  Ottoman^,  the  patri- 
arch and  first  founder  of  the  Turkish  empire,  by  whose  means 
he  did  notably  scourge  the  church  of  Rome  and  the  corrupt 
manners  that  were  crept  into  Christendom.  A  few  years  after 
succeeded  Clement  the  sixth  ^  Paul  the  second,  and  Sixtus 
the  fourth^,  as  wicked  men  as  he,  as  is  to  be  found  in  the 
histories  of  their  lives ;  who  changed  the  year  of  jubilee  from 
every  hundreth  to  every  fiftieth  year,  and  so  at  last  to  every 
five  and  twentieth  year,  that  so  they  might  suck  the  more 
advantage  out  of  men's  foolishness.  But  now  to  the  matter 
again. 

[1  Jubileum  idem  (Bonifacius  VIII.)  retvilit  anno  millesimo  trecen- 
tcsimo,  quo  plenam  delictorum  omnium  remissionem  his  preestabat,  qui 
limina  apostoloi'um  visitassent. — Idem  etiam  centesimo  quoque  anno 
observari  mandavit. — Ob  banc  rem  eo  anno  tanta  undique  bominum 
multitude  Romam  venit,  ut  vix  incedere  per  urbem,  amplam  quidem 
et  vastam,  liceret.— Platin.  de  Vit.  Pontif.  Rom.  p.  245.  Colon.  1568.] 

[2  devilish,  not  in  Lat.] 

[3  From  that  very  year  (viz.  of  the  institution  of  the  jubilee),  as 
most  stories  do  record,  the  Turks  do  begin  the  first  count  of  their 
Turkish  emperors,  whereof  the  first  was  Ottoman.  Foxe's  Acts  and 
Monum.  Vol.  ii.  p.  58G.  ed.  Lond.  1837.  See  also  Bullinger  in  Apo- 
calyps.  Cone.  xxx.  on  Rev.  vi.  1 — 4,  and  xlt.  on  ix.  12-19.] 

[^  Petentibus  Romanis,  ut  qucmadmodum  Bonifacius  octavus  olim 
concesscrat,  ut  centesimo  quoque  anno  plenam  peccatorum  omnium 
remissionem  visitantibus  limina  apostolorum  Petri  et  Pauli,  quinqua- 
gosimo  quoque  anno  id  facere  libenter  annuat  (Clemens  VI.)  cum  di- 
cei-ent  astatem  bominum  jubileum  ilium  centum  annorum  attingere 
non  posse.    Platin.  de  Vit.  Pontif  Rom.  j).  258.] 

[5  Quum  vero  annus  Jubileus  instnrct,  quem  ex  quinquagesimo  ad 
XXV  contraxit  (Xystus  IV,)  primusque  anno  salutis  mcccclxxv.  celc- 
bravit,  &c.  Platin.  p.  350. — This  was  in  confirmntion  of  the  bull  of  bis 
predecessor,  Paul  the  Second.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND   ABROGATION    OF   THE   LAW.      2G9 

The  sacraments  also  of  the  ancient  Jews  arc  Hatly  abro-  TheJew^h 

J  ....  ,  1        •  1  sacraments 

gated,  and  in  their  places  are  substituted  new  sacraments,  "■"•  sncntii-e 
which  are  given  to  the  people  of  the  new  covenant.  abrogated: 

Instead  of  circumcision  is  baptism  appointed".  The  apos-  i 
ties,  in  the  synod  held  at  Hierusalem,  did  oppose  themselves 
against  those  Avhicli  were  of  opinion  that  circumcision  was 
necessary  unto  salvation ;  and  in  that  council  they  allowed  of 
Paul's  doctrine,  who  both  thought  and  taught  the  contrary. 
For  Paul  in  one  place  saith ;  "  Lo,  I  Paul  say  unto  you,  that  [oai.  v. 
if  you  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing.  For 
I  testify  to  every  man  Avhicli  is  circumcised,  that  he  is  a 
debtor  to  the  whole  law  to  do  it.  Christ  is  made  of  none 
effect  to  you  :  as  many  of  you  as  are  justified  by  the  law,  are 
fallen  from  grace."  Neither  is  it  right  or  convenient  that 
in  the  church  of  Christ  there  should  remain  so  bloody  a  sacra- 
ment^ as  circumcision  was,  when  once  that  blood  was  shed 
upon  the  cross  which  stancheth  and  taketh  away  the  blood ^ 
of  the  old  Testament. 

Instead  of  the  paschal  Lamb  is  the  Lord's  supper  or-  2 
dained",  which  by  another  name  is  called  the  eucharist,  or  a 
thanksgiving.  For  so  the  Lord  himself  in  Luke  expoundeth 
it,  saying,  that  he  did  then  eat  the  last  passover  with  his 
disciples ;  at  the  end  whereof  he  did  immediately  ordain  the 
sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood,  which  he  biddeth  them  to 
celebrate  in  remembrance  of  him  ^,  until  he  return  to  judg- 
ment again.  Therefore  the  Lord  left^"  the  supper  to  be  an 
unchangeable  sacrament  until  the  end  of  the  world. 

Moreover,  that  all  sorts  of  sacrifices  contained  in  the  law 
are  utterly  abrogated,  no  man,  I  suppose,  will  once  deny, 
which  doth  but  consider,  that  both  the  temple  and  the  two 
altars,  with  all  the  holy  instruments,  are  utterly  overthrown 
and  come  to  nothing.  I  told  you  that  those  sacrifices  Avere 
remembrances  of  sins,  and  types  or  figures  of  the  cleansing 
and  atonement  that  was  to  be  made  by  Christ  Jesus".  There- 
fore when  Christ  was  come  and  offered  up  for  the  sins  of  all 
the  world,  then  verily  did  all  the  sacrifices  of  the  ancient  Jews'^ 
come  to  their  ending.    For  where  there  is  a  full  and  absolute 

[6  subiit,  Lat.]         ["  signum,  Lat.]        [8  omncm  sanguiiiem,  Lat.] 
\p  in  remembrance  of  him,  not  in  Lat.] 

[10  ecclesise,  Lat. ;  to  the  church.]         [n  expiatiouis  futurtc,  Lat.] 
[12  Teterum,  Lat. ;  Jews,  not  in  Lat.] 


The  eucha- 
rist,  or  sup- 
per of  the 
Lord,  is  to 
Christians 
instead  of  all 
sacrifices. 


270  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

remission  of  sins,  there  is  no  longer  any  sacrifice  for  sin.  But 
in  the  new  Testament  there  is  a  full  remission  of  sins :  there- 
fore in  the  new  Testament  there  is  no  longer  any  sacrifice 
offered  for  sins.  For  Christ  is  only  and  alone  instead  of  all 
the  sacrifices.  For  he  was  once  offered  up,  and  after  that 
is  offered  no  more :  who  by  the  once  offering  up  of  himself 
hath  found  eternal  redemption  ;  so  that  all,  which  be  sanctified, 
are  sanctified  by  none  other  oblation  but  that  of  Christ  upon  the 
cross  made  once  for  all.  Wherefore  Christ,  being  once  offered 
upon  the  cross  for  the  sins  of  all  the  world,  is  the  burnt-offering 
of  the  catholic  church :  he  is  also  the  meat-offering,  which  feed- 
eth  us  with  his  flesh  offered  upon  the  cross  unto  eternal  life,  if 
we  receive  and  feed  on  him'  by  faith.  Moreover  he  is  the 
drink-offering  of  the  church,  which  with  his  blood  doth  quench 
the  thirst  of  the  faithful  unto  life  everlasting.  He  is  the 
purging  and  daily  sacrifice  of  the  church ;  because  he  is  "  the 
Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world 2."  His 
death  and  passion  cleanseth  all  men  from  their  sins,  their 
errors,  and  iniquities^.  Finally,  he  is  the  church'*s  sacrifice  of 
thanksgiving  ;  because  by  Christ  we  offer  praise  to  God,  and 
by  Christ  we  render  thanks  unto  the  Lord*. 

To  conclude :  the  only  supper  of  the  Lord,  which  we  call 
the  eucharist,  containeth  in  it  all  the  kinds  of  ancient  sacrifices: 
which  are  in  effect  but  of  two  sorts;  to  wit,  of  purging  and  of 
atonement,  as  those  which  were  offered  for  sin ;  or  else  of 
thanksgiving,  as  those  which  rendered  thanks  and  offered 
praise  unto  the  Lord.  Now  the  supper  is  a  testimony,  a 
sacrament,  and^  a  remembrance  of  the  body  of  Christ  which 
was  given  for  us,  and  of  his  blood  that  was  shed  for  the 
remission  of  our  sins.  For  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord, 
which  were  but  once  offered  upon  the  cross *^,  and  neither  can 
nor  ought  to  be  offered  any  more  of  men,  are  not  sacrificed 
afresh  in  the  celebration  of  the  supper :  but  in  the  celebrating 
of  it  there  is  reiterated  a  remembrance  of  the  thing,  I  mean, 
of  the  oblation,  which  was  but  once  made,  and  in  once  offering 

[1  si  pcrcipiatur,  Lat. ;  if  it  (liis  flesh)  be  received.] 

[2  John  i.  29,  peccatum,  Lat.] 

p  omnia  vitia  rnortalium,  omnes  erroves,  omnia  scelcra,  Lat.] 

[4  Deo  Patri,  Lat.  ;  to  God  the  Father.] 

[5  adeoque,  Lat. ;  and  so.] 

[*5  pro  peccatis,  Lat. ;  for  sins.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION  OF  THE   LAW.       271 

■was  sufficient.    Again,  in  tlic  snppcr  we  render  thanks  to  God 
for  our  redemption,  for  which  also  tlie  universal  church  doth 
offer  praise  unto  his  name.     AYhercforo  the  supper  of  the   j 
Lord  doth  comprehend  the  whole  substance  and  matter,  which  / 
was  prefigured  in  those  ancient  sacrifices :    so  that,  in  that  1 
point,  the  church  is  not  destitute  of  any  good  or  necessary 
thing,  although  it  doth  no  longer  retain  those  sacrifices  of  the 
elder  church.     Yea,  they  ought  not  any  longer  to  be  solem- 
nized in  the  church,  because  they  were  nothing  else  but  the 
figures,  types,  and  sacraments  of  Christ  to  come.      But  the 
church  doth  now  believe,  and  that  rightly  too,  that  Christ  is 
already  come,  and  that  he  hath  fulfilled  and  accomplished  all 
things ;  as  we  read  that  he  himself  did  testify,  when  on  the 
cross  he  cried,  saying,   "  It  is  finished." 

Moreover  all  vows  are  come  to  an  end,  because  all  sacri-  vows 
ficcs,  wherein'^  the  vows  consisted,  are  vanished  and  gone.  ^^''°^^^^'^- 
Likewise  the  discipline  of  the  Nazarites  is  now  decayed, 
because  the  temple  with  all  the  ceremonies  belonging  there- 
unto is  vaded  away.  There  rcmaineth  still  in  the  church 
a  christian  and  moderate  discipline,  but  not  that  which  is 
described  in  the  law  :  and  the  saints  do  perform  to  God  the 
vows  which  they  have  made  in  the  church,  not  contrary  to 
faith  and  godliness ;  but  they  are  sparing,  wary,  and  very 
religious  in  making  vows.  For  what  have  we  to  give  to 
God,  which  we  have  not  first  received  at  his  hands ;  and  to 
the  performing  of  which  we  were  not  bound  before  in  bap- 
tism? 

Christ  doth  not  so  distinguish  between  clean  and  unclean  The  choice 
in  the  gospel,  as  Moses  doth  in  the  law.    "  That,"  saitli  he,  abrogated. 

o      1       '  r  Matt.  XV. 

"which  entereth  into  the  mouth  defileth  not  the  man;  but  "J 
that  which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth."  And  the  apostle  Paul 
doth  flatly  say,  that  "to  the  clean  all  things  are  clean."  And  [tu. i.is.] 
like  to  this  he  speaketh  much  in  the  fourteenth  to  the  Romans, 
and  in  other  places  moe.  In  his  epistle  to  the  Colossians  he 
saith :  "  If  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the 
world,  why,  as  living  in  the  world,  are  ye  led  with  traditions, 
(touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not ;)  all  which  do  perish  in 
abusing^?"     And  so  forth.    To  Peter  also  it  is  said:  "What 

[■7  wherein — consisted,  not  in  Lat.] 

[8  Coloss.  ii.  20-22,  ipso  pcreant  abusu,  Lat. ;  and  Erasmus :  wliycli 
all  peryshe  tliorow  the  very  abuse.     Cranmei',  1539.] 


272 


THE   THIRD   DECADE. 


[SERM. 


Blood  and     God  hatli  sanctified,  that  call  not  thou  unclean."     Therefore 

Strangled 

oTtii'e'''^"  whereas,  in  the  synodal  epistle  set  forth  by  the  apostles  in 
apostles.  ^}jQ  fifteenth  of  the  Acts,  both  blood  and  strangled  is  forbidden 
and  exempted  from  the  meat  of  men,  that  commandment  was 
not  perpetual,  but  momentany,  for  a  time  only.  For  it  pleased 
the  apostles,  for  charity's  sake,  to  bear  therein  with  the 
Jewish  nation,  who  otherwise  would  have  been  too  stubborn 
and  self-willed.  The  Jews  at  that  time  did  every  day 
so  rifely  hear  the  reading  of  the  law,  which  did  expressly 
forbid  to  eat  blood  and  strangled,  as  if  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  had  not  begun  to  be  sowed  among  them;  and  therefore 
they  could  not  but  be  greatly  offended  to  see  the  Gentiles  so 
lavishly  to  use  the  things  prohibited.  Wherefore  the  apostles 
would  have  the  Gentiles  for  a  time  to  abstain  from  the  things 
that  otherwise  were  lawful  enough,  to  see  if  peradventure  by 
that  means  they  might  win  the  Jews  to  the  faith  of  Christ. 
For  the  epistles,  which  Paul  wrote  a  few  years  after  the 
council  at  Hierusalem,  do  sufficiently  argue  that  the  decree 
of  the  apostles  against  blood  and  strangled  was  not  perpetual. 
But  the  commandments  given  against  things  offered  to  idols, 
and  against  fornication,  (in  using  whereof  the  Gentiles  thought 
that  they  did  not  greatly  offend,)  are  perpetual,  because  they 
be  morals,  and  of  the  number^  of  the  ten  commandments. 
But  of  that  matter  I  have  spoken  in  another  place. 

And  now,  because  I  am  come  to  make  mention  of  the 

synodal  decree  ordained  by  the  apostles  and  elders  of  the 

council  at  Hierusalem,  I  think  it  not  amiss  to  recite  unto  you, 

dearly  beloved,  as  a  conclusion  to  this  place,  the  whole  epistle 

The  decree  of  sent  bv  the  synod,  because  it  doth  bear  an  evident,  full,  and 

the  synod  ,..''.  ,  ., 

held  at  Hie-   bricf  tcstimonv,  that  the  law  is  abroo-ated  alter  that  manner 

rusalem.  _  «'  .... 

which  1  have  declared.  Now  this  is  their  epistle,  or  constitu- 
[Actsxv.  tion  ;  "  The  apostles,  and  elders,  and  brethren,  send  greetings 
unto  the  brethren  which  arc  of  the  Gentiles,  that  are  in 
Antiochia,  Syria,  and  Cilicia.  Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard, 
that  certain  which  departed  from  us  have  troubled  you 
with  words,  and  cumbered  ^  your  minds,  saying,  Ye  must  be 
circumcised,  and  keep  the  law  ;  to  whom  avc  gave  no  such 
commandment :  it  seemed  good  therefore  to  us,  when  we  were 
come  together  with  one  accord,  to  send  chosen  men  unto  you, 

[1  legura  primarum  atquc,  Lat. ;  of  the  first  laws  and,  &c.] 
[^  labcfiictantcs,  Lat.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       273 

with  our  beloved  Paul  and  Barnabas,  men  that  have  jeo- 
parded their  lives  for  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We 
have  sent  therefore  Judas  and  Silas,  which  shall  also  tell  you 
the  same  things  by  mouth.  For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  to  us,  to  charge  you  with  no  more  than  these 
necessary  things ;  (that  is  to  say)  that  ye  abstain  from  things 
offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  strangled,  and  from 
fornication :  from  which  if  ye  keep  yourselves,  ye  shall  do 
well.  So  fare  ye  well."  This  is  word  for  word  the  catho- 
lic, the  synodal,  apostolic,  and  ecclesiastical  epistle  of  the 
council  held  at  Hierusalem,  both  brief  and  easy  :  for  as  the 
speech  of  truth  is  simple,  so  also  may  true  religion  and 
christian  faith  be  easily  laid  down  in  very  few  and  evident 
words. 

Immediately,  in    the  beginning,  after    their  accustomed  J'^ost^g'^^ 
manner  of  subscribino;  and  inscribino:  their  epistle,  they  do  ''"'^'""<^- 

O  O  L  '  J  They  sub- 

out  of  hand  fall  to,  and  touch   the  false  apostles  with  whom  scnbe  their 

'  1  own  names, 


own  1 

inscribe 
names 


sent. 


Paul  and  Barnabas  were  in  controversy,  and  do  declare  what  ^^^^ 
kind  of  doctrine  that  of  the  false  prophets  was,  which  they  whomThe'' 
had  till  then  preached  unto  the  churches  as  the  catholic,  true,  ^""^^'^ 
and  apostolic  doctrine ;  to  wit,  that  they  which  will  be  saved 
must  be  circumcised  and  keep  the  law  of  Moses.  For  they 
thought  not  that  faith  in  Christ,  without  the  help  of  the  law, 
was  sufficient  enough  to  full  and  absolute  justification.  They 
made  their  boasts,  that  they  were  sent  from  Hierusalem^  by 
the  apostles  and  disciples  of  the  Lord,  who  did  all  Avith  one 
consent  teach  the  same  doctrine  that  they  did  preach ;  and 
they  said  that  Paul  with  his  companion  Barnabas  alone  did, 
schismatic-like,  sow  in  the  churches  a  certain  doctrine,  peculiar 
to  himself,  touching  faith  which  justified  without  the  works  of 
the  law.  Wherefore  the  apostles  straightways,  after  the 
beginning  of  their  epistle,  do  declare  what  they  think  of  such 
false  teachers  and  their  unwarranted  doctrine  :  "  We  confess," 
say  they,  "that  those  false  teachers  went  from  hence  out  of 
Hierusalem,  but  we  deny  that  they  were  either  sent  or  in- 
structed by  us.  For  we  gave  no  commandment  to  any  such." 
And  so  they  do  testify  that  it  is  utterly  false,  which  those 
fellows  taught,  to  wit,  that  the  apostles  and  disciples  of  the 
Lord  did  preach  that  the  law  is  requisite  to  full  justi- 
fication.     Yea,  they  do  yet  go  on  more  plainly  to  declare 

[^  ox  urbe  sancta,  Lat.] 

r  1  18 

[bullinger,  n.J 


274 


THE   THIRD   DECADE. 


[SERM. 


.  what  the  doctnne  of  those  false  apostles  was  :  *'  They  trouble 
you,"  say  they,  "with  words,  and  cumber  your  minds,  com- 
manding you  to  be  circumcised  and  to  keep  the  law."  The 
sum  therefore  of  their  doctrine  was,  that,  unless  a  man  were 
circumcised  and  did  keep  the  law,  he  could  not  be  saved : 
whereby  they  did  ascribe  salvation  to  the  keeping  of  the  law, 
or  to  the  merit  of  their  works.  Unto  this  doctrine  the  apostles 

1  do  attribute  two  perilous  eifects.  The  first  is,  "  They  trouble 
you  with  words."  They  be  words,  say  they,  which  do  rather 
amaze,  than  appease,  comfort,  or  pacify  your  minds ;  yea, 
they  do  trouble  you  so,  that  ye  cannot  tell  what  to  believe, 
or  whereto  to  trust :  and  do  moreover  stir  up  strifes,  discords, 
and  jarrings  among  you.  To  these  words  of  the  apostles  doth 
Paul  seem  to  have  alluded  in  his  epistle  to  the   Galatians, 

[Gal.  1. 6, 7.-)  saying :  "I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  turned  from  Christ^  which 
called  you  by  grace,  unto  another  gospel;  which  is  not  another 
gospel  indeed,  but  that  there  be  some  which  trouble  you,  and 
intend  to  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ."      The  latter  effect  is, 

2  "They  cumber  or  weaken  your  minds."  For  they,  which  lean  to 
the  law  and  to  works,  have  nothing  stable  or  stedfast  in  their 
minds :  for  since  the  law  requireth  a  most  exact  and  absolute 
righteousness,  and  doth  thereby  kill,  because  such  righteous- 
ness is  not  found  in  us;  therefore  those  minds  are  weakened 
and  subverted  that  are  taught  to  lean  to  the  works  of  the 
law,  which  law  no  man  doth  keep  as  of  right  he  ought  to  do. 
Therefore  Paul  to  the  Romans  saith:  "If  they  that  do 
belong  unto  the  law  are  heirs,  then  is  faith  vain,  and  the 
promise  made  of  none  effect"."  And  immediately  after  again  : 
"  Therefore  the  heritage  is  given  by  faith,  as  according  to 
grace;  that  the  promise  may  be  sure  to  all  the  seed,"  &c. 
The  false  apostles  therefore  did  subvert  and  weaken  minds, 
by  teaching  that  salvation  is  gotten  by  the  law :  which, 
verily,  is  a  grievous  judgment  against  those  which  with  them 
do  teach  the  like. 

Then  also  they  do  with  like  liberty  go  on  to  the  other 
side,  to  shew  their  opinion  of  Paul  and  Barnabas;  yea,  they 
do  adorn  them,  as  their  messengers,  with  a  most  holy  tes- 

[^  a  Christo  qui  rocavit  vos  per  gratiam,  Lat.;  and  Erasmus :  from 
Christ  which  called  you  by  grace.     Cranmer,  1539.] 

[2  Nam  lox  iram   operator,  Lat.  omitted;    for  the  law  worketh 

wrath.] 


[Rom.  i 
14—16.] 


Paul  his 
doctrine  is 
allowed  and 
commended 
to  the 
churches. 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,   AND   ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       275 

timoniaP,  to  the  end  that  they  may  among  all  men  have  the 
more  authority,  and  that  all  men  may  understand  that  be- 
twixt them  twain  and  the  other  apostles  there  was  a  full 
agreement  and  consent  of  doctrine  and  rehgion.  "  We  being 
gathered  together  with  one  accord,"  say  they,  "  have  sent 
messengers  unto  you."  Lo  here,  of  the  false  apostles  they 
testified  that  they  sent  them  not,  nor  gave  them  any  com- 
mandment :  but  these  men  they  send,  and  do  with  one  accord 
give  them  a  commandment.  But  who  be  they  whom  they 
send  ?  *'  Our  beloved  Paul  and  Barnabas,  which  have  jeoparded 
their  lives  for  the  name  of  Christ  Jesus."  These  twain  are 
most  choice  apostles,  and  holy,  glorious  martyrs,  our  dearly- 
beloved  brethren,  being  of  the  same  religion  and  doctrine 
with  us,  who  have  declared  what  their  lives  and  doctrine  is 
by  their  manifold  virtues*  and  manful  suffering  of  peril  and 
dangers. 

But  for  because  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  themselves  no 
small  doers  in  that  controversy  and  disputation,  there  were 
joined  to  them  two  other  chosen  men,  Judas  and  Silas,  to  the 
end  that  they  might  indifferently,  without  suspicion,  declare 
the  things  which  in  the  council  were  alleged  for  both  sides ; 
as  I  mean  to  shew  you  in  the  exposition  of  the  general  decree. 

For   now  they  do  in   few  words  comprehend   the  very  The  exposi- 
decree  of  the  whole  and  universal  synod ;  in  the  laying:  down  gXrai'  ^ 

decree  of 

whereof  they  do  first  of  all  name  the  author  of  the  decree,  the  synod 

•^  '  held  at 

saying :  "  It  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us."  Hierusaiem. 
They  first  set  down  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  then  themselves ; 
making  him  to  be  the  author  of  truth,  and  themselves  to  be 
the  instruments  by  which  he  worketh :  for  he  worketh  in 
the  church  by  the  ministry  of  men.  But  men's  authority 
without  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  none  at  all. 
Therefore  do  the  apostles  very  significantly  say  :  "  It  seemed 
good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us:"  that  is,  after  that  we 
were  assembled  in  that  synod  to  treat  of  the  matter  of  jus- 
tification and  of  the  law,  (about  which  things  Paul  and  his 
adversaries  did  stand  in  controversy,)  we  followed  not  our 
own  judgments,  neither  did  we  use  proofs  of  our  own  inven- 
tions ;  but,  searching  out  and  hearing  the  doctrine  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  we  do  upon  his  warrant  write  this  unto  you. 

[3  et  elogio,  Lat,  omitted  ;  and  encomium.] 
[■*  editis,  Lat. ;  displayed.] 

18—2 


276  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM. 

In  the  second  place,  they  do  set  down  the  sum  of  the 
decree,  saying:  "  That  we  might  not  charge  you  with  greater 
burdens  than  these  necessary  things,  (that  is  to  say)  that 
ye  abstain  from  things  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and 
from  strangled,  and  from  fornication."  Therefore,  say  they, 
the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  which  Paul  hath  hitherto  preached 
with  us,  is  sufficient  to  the  obtaining  of  life  and  salvation. 
We  intend  not  to  lay  any  greater  burden  upon  you  than 
the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  and  abstinence  from  those  few 
things.  In  which  sentence  they  seem  to  have  had  an  eye 
to  the  opinion  of  St  Peter,  who  in  the  council  said :  "  Ye 
Aeisx.  know  that  I,  being  called  by  God,  did  go  to  the  Gentiles, 
and  did  preach  to  them  salvation  through  the  gospel.  Ye 
know,  that  to  the  Gentiles,  being  neither  circumcised,  nor 
keeping  the  law,  while  I  preached  to  them  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given  from  above,  so  that  their 
hearts  were  purified  of  God  himself  by  faith,  not  by  the  law, 
and  that  they  were  made  heirs  of  eternal  life."  And  upon 
[Acts XV.  this  he  inferreth  :  "Now  therefore  why  tempt  ye  God,  to  lay 
~  "  upon  the  disciples'  necks  a  yoke,  which  neither  we  nor  our 

fathers  were  able  to  bear  ?  But  we  believe  that  through  the 
grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even  as 
they."  See  here,  St  Peter  called  the  law  a  burden  and  a 
yoke :  and  therefore,  where  the  apostles  say  that  they  will 
not  lay  upon  the  church  any  greater  burden,  they  do  thereby 
signify  that  the  law  is  flatly  abrogated.  They  do  therefore 
set  the  church  free  from  the  burden  of  the  law,  and  do 
acquit  it  from  all  burdens  like  to  the  law. 
Men  have  Wo  uow  do  gather  by  those  words  of  the  apostles,  that 

thrust  upon    tliose    burdcusome   and  innumerable    ceremonies,    which  the 

the  church  of     ,  ,       ,        ,  •         i    i  •  i  i  i  •  i  • 

God  many     churcli  hatli  recoivcd  by  councils  and  synods  smce  the  time 

ceremonies.  *'^  ^   " 

of  the  apostles,  were  unjustly  and  against  the  apostolic  spirit 
then  laid  upon  the  church,  and  at  this  day  wickedly  retained 
and  defended  in  the  church.  For  they  in  express  words 
said :  "  It  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us  to 
burden  you  with  no  more  than  these  things  necessary." 

But  if  any   man  object  and  say,  that  those  ceremonies 

were  for  the  rudeness  of  the  people  laid  upon  the  churches' 

necks,    as  a   rule   cr    instruction  ^   to  guide  or  teach    them 

by ;   mine  answer  is,   that  that  kind  of  instruction  is  clean 

[1  ptedagogiam,  Lat.] 


VIll.]       USE,   lULFlLLING,   AND  ABIIOGATIOX   OF   THE   LAW.       277 

taken  away,  which  whosoever  goeth  about  to  reduce,  he 
desireth  nothing  else  but  to  bring  in  Judaism  again.  God 
knew  very  well  what  kind  of  church  that  would  be,  which 
he  purposed  to  gather  together  of  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  and 
yet  he  abolished  those  external  ceremonies.  Now  who  doth 
better  know  than  God  what  is  expedient,  or  not  expedient, 
for  his  church  ?  Therefore  the  things  that  be  abolished 
were  not  expedient  for  the  faithful :  whereupon  the  apostles 
did  rightly  and  very  well  pronounce ;  "  It  seemed  good  to 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  us  not  to  lay  upon  you  any  greater 
burden."  Let  them  therefore  be  ashamed  of  their  doings, 
which  lay  so  great  a  burden  upon  the  shoulders  of  the 
church,  that  otherwise  ought  to  be  most  free. 

Now  also  here  is  added  the  conclusion  of  the  sentence :  st  james 
"  Than  these  necessary  things,  (that  is  to  say)  that  ye  abstain  st  Peter-s" 
from  things  offered  to  idols,"  &:c.  In  these  words  they  had  an 
eye  unto  the  sentence  of  St  James,  the  apostle  and  brother  of 
the  Lord  :  for  he,  confirming  and  allowing  of  St  Peter's  opinion 
touching  justification  by  faith  and  the  not  laying  of  the  law 
upon  the  Gentiles'  necks,  doth  allege  a  testimony  of  scripture 
out  of  Amos ;  who  did  foretell  that  the  Jews  should  be  cut  ^f'J^  *"• 
off  because  of  their  sins,  and  that  in  their  steads  the  Gentiles 
should  be  taken,  among  whom  the  true  church  of  God  should 
be ;  which  was  prefigured  by  the  ruin  and  reparation  of 
David's  tabernacle.  The  same  prophet  did  also  foretell  a 
reason  how,  and  a  cause  why,  the  Gentiles  should  be  received 
into  the  church;  not  for  circumcision's  sake,  nor  yet  by  the 
help  of  the  law,  but  by  grace  through  faith.  For  he  saith : 
"  The  remnant  of  the  men  shall  seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  [Actsxv.  17 
the  heathen  upon  whom  my  name  is  called,  saith  the  Lord, 
which  doth  all  this  :  all  these  works  of  God  are  known  to  him 
from  before  the  world  began."  Lo  here,  they  shall  seek  the 
Lord,  and  shall  be  received  into  his  fellowship,  upon  whom  his 
name  shall  be  called.  This  phrase  of  speech  doth  signify, 
that  they  which  are  elect  shall  be  the  sons  of  God ;  for 
upon  them  the  name  of  the  Lord  is  called,  which  are  named 
the  sons  of  God,  and  are  his  elect.  Now  the  whole  scripture 
attributeth  that  to  faith.  By  faith,  therefore,  we  are  made 
the  members  of  the  church,  and  sons  and^  heirs  to  God  our 
maker.      But  if  any  man  do  murmur  against  the  counsel  of 

[2  adeoque,  Lat. ;  and  so.] 


278  THE   TIIIKD   DECADE.  [SERM. 

God,  and  say.  Why  doth  God  so  ?  let  him  think,  that  this 
deed  is  the  deed  and  work  of  God,  whom  it  is  not  lawful  for 
man  to  gainsay,  and  all  whose  works  are  known  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  to  have  been  done  in  judgment  and 
righteousness:  whereupon  it  doth  consequently  follow,  that 
this  counsel  of  his  is  good  and  righteous,  whereby  he  doth 
through  faith  in  Christ  join  to  himself  and  sanctify^  the 
heathen  nations 2. 

Now  upon  these  words  of  the  prophet  St  James  (sub- 
scribing as  it  were  to  St  Peter's  opinion)  doth  gather  and 
infer  :  "  Wherefore  my  sentence  is,  that  we  trouble  not  them 
which  from  among  the  Gentiles  are  turned  to  God :"  that  is 
to  say,  I  think  that  they  are  not  to  be  molested,  or  charged 
with  the  observation  of  the  law.  But  lest  the  Gentiles,  once 
hearing  that  the  law  was  abolished,  should  thereby  think  that 
they  might  freely  do  whatsoever  they  would,  and  so  by  that 
means  abuse  their  liberty ;  and  also,  against  all  charity,  de- 
spise and  give  offence  unto  the  Jewish  brethren ;  therefore 
From  some  Jamos  addoth :  "  But  I  think  it  best  for  us  to  write  unto 
musTthe  '"^^  them,  that  they  abstain  from  filthiness  of  idols."     For  there 

saints  ''     ,  .  a       -,  /-,  •^ 

abstain.  vrQVQ  at  that  time  certam  converts  of  the  Gentiles,  who 
thought  it  lawful  for  them  to  enter  into  idol-temples,  and  be 
partakers  of  things  offered  to  idols  ;  because  an  idol  is  nothing, 
since  there  is  but  one  only  God  alone :  whereupon  they  ga- 
thered that  those  sacrifices  were  nothing,  that  they  did  nei- 
ther good  nor  harm ;  and  therefore  that  Christians  might 
with  a  safe  conscience  be  partakers  of  them.  But  St  James 
and  Paul  also,  1  Cor.  viii.  ix.  and  x.,  will  have  the  heathen 
converts  to  abstain  utterly  from  the  worship  of  idols,  that  is, 
from  the  idols  themselves,  and  from  those  things  which  are 
in  the  idol-temples  offered  to  false  and  feigned  gods. 

Moreover  he  addeth  :  "  Let  them  beware  of  fornication." 
The  Gentiles,  verily,  did  by  good  laws  forbid  the  adulteries 
and  defilings  of  virgins  and  matrons,  with  very  sharp  punish- 
ments suppressing  the  violent  deflowerers  of  honest  women : 
but  they  thought  it  a  very  light  and  in  a  manner  no  fault 
at  all  for  such  to  commit  whoredom  as  did  of  their  own 
accords  set  their  chastity  to  sale ;  or  if  an   unwcdded  man 

\}  beatificat,  Lat.     See  Vol.  i.  page  106,  note  G.] 
[^  citra  legis  observationcm,  Lat.  omitted  ;  without  Tceeping  of  tho 
law.] 


VIII.]       USE,   FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       279 

should  have  to  do  witli  a  single  -woman :  and  therefore  the 
apostle  James,  even  as  Paul  also,  1  Cor.  vi.  and  1  Tliess.  iv. 
doth  very  severely  require  the  holy  and  pure  use  of  the 
body,  -without  all  filthy  and  unclean  beastliness. 

Last  of  alP,  he  willeth  the  Gentiles  to  be  restrained  of 
eating  blood  and  strangled.  He  addeth  the  cause  why,  and 
saith  :  "  For  Moses  of  old  time  hath  in  every  city  them  that 
preach  him  in  the  synagogues,  where  he  is  read  every  sabbath- 
day."  Of  which  constitution  (touching  blood  and  strangled) 
I  spake  somewhat,  before  that  I  made  this  same  digression. 

Now  therefore,  since  the  matter  is  at  that  point,  it  is 
evident  that  they  are  without  a  cause  offended  with  St  James,  st  james 
which  think  that  he  did  without  all  right  and  reason  make 
and  publish*  this  decree ;  and  that  the  fruit  of  that  synod  was 
very  perilous,  nothing  wholesome,  and  flatly  contrary  to 
christian  liberty.  For  it  is  assuredly  certain,  that  the  mean- 
ing of  James  did  in  no  point  differ  from  the  mind  of  St  Paul, 
who  nevertheless  did  very  well  and  praiseworthily ^  say: 
"  Let  us  follow  the  things  that  make  for  peace,  and  things 
wherewith  we  may  one  edify  another.  Destroy  not  the 
work  of  God  for  meat's  sake.  All  things  are  pure ;  but  it  is 
evil  for  that  man  that  eateth  with  offence.  It  is  good  neither 
to  eat  flesh,  nor  to  drink  wine,  nor  any  thing  whereby  thy 
brother  stumbleth,  or  falleth,  or  is  made  weak,"  &c.  Romans 
xiv.  It  is  also  most  certain,  that  St  Paul,  who  was  so  sharply 
set  to  defend  the  christian  liberty  that  he  withstood  Peter 
openly*'  at  Antioch,  would  not  have  been  behindhand  to  re- 
sist St  James,  if  he  had  thought  that  this  constitution  either 
had  been,  or  should  be,  prejudicial  to  christian  liberty. 
Verily,  he  would  neither  have  preached,  nor  yet  commended, 
this  tradition  of  the  apostles  to  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles, 
if  he  bad  not  thought  that  it  had  been  both  wholesome  and 
profitable  for  them  all  to  embrace.  But  he  did  preach  and 
commend  it  unto  the  churches,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  sixteenth 
of  the  Acts :  and  therefore  is  St  James  without  a  cause  mur- 
mured against  of  some,  because  he  forbad  to  eat  blood  and 
strangled. 

Finally,  the  conclusion  of  their  epistle  is  :  "  From  which 

[3  in  tertio  loco,  Lat. ;  in  the  third  place.] 

[■*  aut  proposuisse,  Lat.]  [*  cum  laude  oinuiuin,  Lat.] 

[8  et  in  faciem,  Lat.;  and  to  the  face.] 


J 


280  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sEUM. 

if  ye  keep  your  selves,  ye  do  well ;  so  fare  ye  well."  They 
praise  that  abstinence,  and  teach  it  as  a  good  work,  because 
it  is  also  commended  to  us  in  all  the  scriptures. 

Thus  have  I  digressed,  not  far,  I  trust,  from  our  purpose, 
to  speak  of  the  decree  of  the  apostolic  synod  held  at  Hie- 
rusalem  :  and  thus  much  at  this  time  touching  the  abrogation 
of  the  ceremonial  laws, 
Jition'^oTthe  ^^  remaineth  here  for  me  to  say  somewhat  concerning  the 

judicial  laws,  abrogation  of  the  judicial  laws.  Now  therefore  the  judicial 
laws  do  seem  to  be  abrogated  in  this  sense,  because  no  chris- 
tian commonweal,  no  city  or  kingdom,  is  compelled  to  be 
bound  and  to  receive  those  very  same  laws,  which  were  by 
Moses  in  that  nation,  according  to  the  time,  place,  and  state, 
published  and  set  out  of  old.  Therefore  every  country  hath 
free  liberty  to  use  such  laws  as  are  best  and  most  requisite  for 
the  estate  and  necessity  of  every  place,  and  of  every  time  and 
persons :  so  yet  that  the  substance  of  God's  laws  be  not  re- 
jected, trodden  down,  and  utterly  neglected.  For  the  things 
which  are  agreeable  to  the  law  of  nature  and  the  ten  com^ 
mandments,  and  whatsoever  else  God  hath  commanded  to  be 
punished^,  must  not  in  any  case  be  either  clean  forgotten,  or 
lightly  regarded.  Now  the  end  whereunto  all  these  laws  do 
tend  is,  that  honesty  may  flourish,  peace  and  public  tranquil- 
lity be  firmly  maintained,  and  judgment  and  justice  be  rightly 
executed.  Of  which  because  I  have  at  large  disputed  in  the 
exposition  of  the  precept^,  "  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder,*"  I  will 
here  be  content  to  be  so  much  the  briefer. 

The  holy  apostle  Paul  commandeth  to  obey  the  magistrate : 
he  alloweth  of  the  authority  of  the  sword,  which  he  confesseth 
that  the  magistrate  hath  not  in  vain  received  at  the  hand  of 
God.  And  therefore  he  did  not  disallow  or  find  fault  with 
the  election  of  the  magistrate,  the  use  of  the  sword,  the  exe- 
cution of  the  judgment  and  justice,  nor  with  upright  and  civil 
laws. 

Now  whosoever  doth  confer  the  laws  and  constitutions  of 
princes,  kings,  emperors,  or  christian  magistrates,  which  are 
to  be  found  either  in  the  Code,  in  the  book  of  Digests  or 
Pandects,  in  the  volume  of  New  Constitutions^,  or  else  in  any 

[1  quaj  Deus  semper  et  apud  omnes  gcntes  puniro  jussit,  Lat.] 

[2  Decade  ii.  Sermons  6,  7,  8.] 

[3  The  Code  is  the  Codex  Justiniancus,  or  collection  of  imperial 


VIII.]      rsii,   ILLIILLING,  AND  AIJKOGATION   OF   Tllli   LAW.       281 

other  books  of  good  laws  of  sundry  nations,  with  these  judicial 
laws  of  God  ;  he  must  needs  confess,  that  they  draw  very  near 
in  likeness,  and  do  very  well  agree  one  with  another'*.  Justi- 
nian, the  emperor,  forbad  by  law  either  to  sell  or  otherwise 
to  make  away  the  possessions  of  the  church^  and  things  con- 
secrated unto  God.  For  the  sincere  confessing  and  pure 
maintaining  of  the  catholic  faith  the  emperors,  Gratian,  Ya- 
lentinian,  and  Theodosius,  did  make  a  most  excellent  and  holy 
law^.  Constantino  the  great  gave  charge  to  Taurus,  one  of 
his  lieutenants,  to  shut  the  idol  temples,  and  with  the  sword 
to  destroy  such  rebels  as  went  about  to  set  them  open,  and  to 
sacrifice  in  them'^.  That  laws  were  made  for  the  relief  of  the 
poor,  and  that  kings  and  emperors  had  a  care  over  them,  it 
is  to  be  seen  in  more  places  than  one  of  the  emperor's  laws 
and  constitutions.  It  is  very  certain,  that  whosoever  readeth 
the  Code,  Lib.  i.  tit.  2,  he  shall  find  much  matter  belonging  to 
this  arguments  For  the  honest  training  up  of  children,  and 
the  liberal  sustaining  of  aged  parents,  there  are  very  com- 
mendable laws  in  the  books  of  the  heathens^.  Concerning 
the  authority  that  parents  have  over  their  children,  there  is 
much  and  many  things  to  be  found  in  writing  :  likewise  of 
■wedlock,  of  incest,  and  unmeet  marriages,  Honorius,  Arcadius, 
and  many  other  princes,  have  made  very  tolerable  and  laud- 
able decrees :  -where  they  speak  also  very  well  and  wisely  of 

constitutions  in  twelve  books,  each  of  which  is  divided  into  titles, 
which  was  promulgated  at  Constantinople,  under  Justinian,  Nov.  16, 
A.D.  534. — The  Pandects,  so  called  because  of  the  comprchemiveness 
of  the  work,  or  Digests,  so  called  because  of  the  arrangement  of  its 
materials,  was  a  compilation  out  of  ancient  juristical  writings,  which 
was  ordered  by  Justinian,  and  finished  in  the  close  of  a.d.  532.  It 
contained  fifty  books,  which  were  divided  into  seven  parts,  and  sub- 
divided into  titles.  After  the  code  was  completed,  Justinian  supplied 
what  was  deficient  in  that  work  by  a  collection  which  he  called  No- 
vella) Constitutioncs.  Theodosius  II.  had  published  his  code  of  laws, 
A.D.  438;  and  his  Novella;,  or  additions,  about  nine  years  later. — See 
Smith's  Diet,  of  Greek  and  Roman  Antiq.,  and  Duck's  Jur.  Civil.  Lib. 
I.  cap.  3.  ^^  8.  and  cap.  4.] 

[*  Vol.  I.  pages  197—205.]  [•'  Vol.  i.  page  331.] 

[6  Vol.  I.  pages  34,  35,  328,  331.]  ["  Vol.  i.  page  359.] 

[8  De — orphanotrophis,  et  xenotrophis,  ct  brephotrophis,  et  pto- 
chotrophis,  &c.     In   his  onmibus  locis  piis  aluntur  sou   recipiuntur 
pauperes,  &c.,  &c.    Pacii  Isagog.  in  Cod.  Lib.  i.  3.  p.  460.] 
[9  Vol.  I.  pages  202,  273,  288—290.] 


282  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM- 

the  law  of  divorcement^  But  if  I  go  on  to  add  or  oppose  to 
every  several  title  of  the  judicial  laws  contained  in  this 
sermon  sundry  and  peculiar  laws  out  of  the  decrees  of  chris- 
tian princes,  I  shall,  I  know,  be  too  tedious  unto  your  patience; 
for  then  would  this  treatise  pass  the  time  of  an  ordinary 
sermon.  Let  it  therefore  suffice  us  at  this  time,  by  the  decla- 
ration of  these  notes^  to  have  opened  and  made  a  way  to 
the  diligent  lovers  of  the  truth  to  come  to  the  understand- 
ing of  other  things,  which  we  have  here  omitted ;  and  that 
they  may  beheve^  that  the  substance  of  God's  judicial  laws  is 
not  taken  away  or  abolished,  but  that  the  ordering  and  limi- 
tation of  them  is  placed  in  the  will  and  arbitrement  of  good 
christian  princes;  so  yet  that  they  ordain  and  appoint  that 
which  is  just  and  equal,  as  the  estate  of  time,  place,  and 
persons  shall  best  require,  that  honesty  and  public  peace  may 
be  thereby  preserved'*,  and  God  the  Father  duly  honoured 
through  his  only-begotten  Son  Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  all  praise 
is  due  for  ever.  For  we  do  see  that  the  apostles  of  Christ 
did  neither  require  nor  command  any  nation,  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  politic  affairs,  to  bind  themselves  to  the  strict  keep- 
ing of  Moses'  law.   This  rule  must  always  be  kept  and  observed. 

n  Pet.  ii.  13,  St  Peter  doth  simply  command,  and  say:  "Submit  yourselves 
to  all  manner  ordinance  of  man^  for  the  Lord's  sake;  whether 
it  be  unto  the  king,  as  having  the  preeminence,  or  unto 
rulers,  as  unto  them  that  are  sent  of  him  for  the  punishment 
of  evil-doers,  but  for  the  laud  of  them  that  do  well."     And 

[Acts V. 29.]  yet  the  same  apostle  affirmeth  that  "we  ought  rather  to  obey 
God  than  men,"  so  often  as  men  do  publish  laws  against  true 
religion,  justice  and  equity;  concerning  which  I  spake  in  the 
exposition  of  the  common  place  of  the  magistrate^.  And  so, 
thus  much  I  thought  good  to  say  touching  the  abrogation  of 
the  judicial  laws. 

The  likeness  Now  if  cvcry  ouo  of  you  do  througlily  ponder  with  him- 

enceofthe    sclf  the  tliiugs  that  I  have  hitherto  said  touching  the  law  of 

old  and  new  o  o 

testament 

and  people. 

[1  Bingham,  Orig.  Eccles.  Book  xvi.  chap.   11.;  and  Book  xxir. 
chap.  5.] 

[2  et  vestigiis,  Lat. ;  and  traces.] 

[3  tenereque  in  prcescntiarum,  Lat.] 

[4  in  gcnto  quavis,  Lat.  omitted  ;  in  every  nation.] 

[5  cuivis  humanfc  creaturaj,  Lat.] 

[6  Vol.  I.  pages  269,  316.] 


VIII.]       USE,   FULFILLINfJ,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       283 

God,  the  parts  of  the  law,  the  use  or  eft'ect,  the  fulfilling  and 
abrogating  of  the  same ;  it  will  be  a  thing  of  no  difficulty  to 
determine  what  every  one  ought  to  think  concerning  that 
point  or  title  of  this  treatise,  whereof  I  promised,  in  the 
beginning  of  this  sermon,  that  I  would  speak  somewhat  toward 
the  end;  to  wit,  that  the  testament  of  the  old  and  new  church'^ 
is  all  one,  and  that  there  is  but  one  way  of  true  salvation  to 
all  that  either  are,  or  have  been,  saved  in  this  world :  and 
also,  wherein  the  new  testament  doth  differ  from  the  old. 
For  since  I  have  already  shewed^  that  all  the  points  of  the 
law  have  a  respect  and  a  kind  of  relation  unto  Christ,  and 
that  he  was  in  the  law  preached  ^  to  the  fathers  to  be  the  only 
Saviour,  in  whom  alone  they  were  to  be  saved ;  who  is  it 
which  cannot  perceive,  that  they  had  none  other  but  the  very 
same  manner  and  way  to  be  saved  which  we  at  this  day  do 
enjoy  by  Christ  Jesus^"?  And  yet,  that  this  may  appear 
more  evident,  I  will  not  stick  to  bestow  some  pains  to  make 
this  matter  more  manifest  unto  you  with  as  plain  a  demonstra- 
tion as  possible  may  be,  although  a  plainer  cannot  likely  be 
than  that  which  I  have  already  shewed  you. 

Yerily,  there  is  no  difference  of  the  people,  of  the  testa-  The  fathers 
ment,  of  the  church,  or  of  the  manner  of  salvation  betwixt  a"  on?     ^ 

'  '  church,  and 

them,  among  whom  there  is  found  to  be  one  and  the  same  J,'n°''a^d°fhe 
doctrine,  the  same  faith,  the  same  Spirit,  the  same  hope,  the  menl"''''*' 
same  inheritance,  the  same  expectation,  the  same  invocation, 
and  the  same  sacraments.  If  therefore  I  shall  be  able  to 
prove  that  all  these  things  were  indifferently  common  to  them 
of  the  old  church  as  well  as  to  us,  then  have  I  obtained  that 
which  I  shot  at;  to  wit,  that  in  respect  of  the  substance 
there  neither  was,  nor  is,  any  more  than  one  testament ;  that 
the  old  fathers  are  one  and  the  same  people  that  we  are, 
living  in  the  same  church  and  communion,  and  saved  not  in 
any  other  but  in  Christ  alone,  the  Son  of  God,  in  whom  also 
we  look  for  salvation. 

That  they  and  we  have  all  one  and  the  same  doctrine,   I  That  the  fa- 

"  1       T-i        thers  and  we 

prove  thus.      Our  doctrine  is  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel.  But  5^J'fj?JJ.°"^ 
that  the   fathers  were  not  without  the  same  doctrine,  it  is 
evident  by    St  Paul,   who   testifieth,   saying :  "  God   verily  r^^^  i_ 
promised  the  gospel  of  God  afore  by  his  prophets  in  the  holy       ^ 

[7  ecclesiae  Dei,  Lat.]  [^  apertissiine,  Lat. ;  most  clearly.] 

[9  propositum  esse,  Lat.]  [lo  by  Christ  Jesus,  not  in  Lat.] 


[Rom.  iii 

2<)— 22.] 


[Acts  XV.  10, 
ll.J 


284  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [sERM. 

scriptures,  of  his  Son,  which  was  made  of  the  seed  of  David 
after  the  flesh,  and  hath  been  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power  by  the  Spirit,"  &c.  What  could  be  said 
more  plainly?  The  gospel,  which  is  at  this  day  preached \ 
was  of  old  promised  by  the  prophets  in  the  holy  scriptures ; 
to  wit,  that  the  Son  of  God  should  come  into  the  world  to 
save  all  faithful  believers.  This  gospel  also  teacheth,  that 
the  faithful  are  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but 
freely  by  grace  through  faith  in  Christ  2.  St  Paul  saith  : 
"  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in 
his  sight :  for  by  the  law  cometh  the  knowledge  of  sin.  But 
now  is  the  righteousness  of  God  declared  without  the  law, 
being  witnessed  by  the  testimony  of  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets :  the  righteousness  of  God  cometh^  by  the  faith  of 
Christ  Jesus  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe."  With 
Paul  St  Peter  also  doth  fully  agree,  where,  in  the  synod  held 
at  Hierusalem,  he  saith :  "  Neither  we  nor  our  fathers  were 
able  to  bear  the  yoke  of  the  law,  but  do  believe,  even  as  they, 
to  be  saved  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Christ  Jesus."" 
And  so,  consequently*,  in  all  other  substantial  and  material 
points  there  is  no  difference  in  doctrine  betwixt  us  and  them. 
The  fathers  To  procoed  uow  :  they,  whose  doctrine  is  all  one,  must 

au'onlfoith.  of  necessity  have  all  one  faith  ;  "  for  faith  cometh  by  hearing, 
and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  What  doth  that  argue, 
that  Abraham  and  the  rest  of  the^  holy  fathers  are  set  before 
our  eyes  as  examples  of  faith  for  us  to  follow?  We  see 
that  it  is  so  in  the  holy  gospel  of  the  Lord,  and  the  sacred 
writings^  of  the  apostles.  But  who  would  give  us  such 
foreign  examples  to  imitate,  as  do  not  concern  the  thing  for 
which  they  are  given  ?  Paul  in  many  places,  but  especially 
in  the  fourth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  sheweth  that  faith 
must  be  imputed  to  us  for  righteousness ;  as  wc  read  that  it 
was  imputed  unto  Abraham.  Now  that  faith  of  his  was  not 
another,  but  the  very  same  faith  with  ours,  which  restcth 
upon  the  promise  of  God  and  the  blessed  Seed  :  for  he  call- 
eth  Abraham  the  father,  not  of  those  only  which  are  born 
of  the  circumcision,  but  of  those  also  which  walk  in  the  steps 

{}  ecclesioe,  Lat. ;  to  the  church.]  [2  in  Christ,  not  in  Lat.] 

[3  cometh,  not  in  Lat.]  [•*  and  so  consequently,  not  in  Lat.] 

[fi  patres  nostri,  Lat.  ;  our  fathers.] 
[6  litoris,  Lat. ;  epistles.] 


VIII.]      rSE,   FULFILLING,  AND   ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       285 

of  the  faith  which  was  in  Abraham  before  he  was  circum- [Rom.iv.  12.] 
cised.  Besides  that  also,  the  confirmation  of  the  christian 
rule,  I  mean"  the  apostles'  creed,  or  articles  of  our  belief,  is 
fetched  out  of  the  scriptures  of  the  fathers  of  the  old  Testa- 
ment ;  which  is  undoubtedly  a  most  manifest  argument  that 
their  faith  and  ours  is  the  very  same  faith.  They  did  be- 
lieve in  the  Messiah  that  was  then  to  come;  and  we  believe 
that  he  is  already  come,  and  do  more  fully  perceive  and 
merely^  see  all  that  which  was  spoken  of  before  in  the  pro- 
phets :  as  I  will  anon  declare,  Avhen  I  come  to  shew  the 
difference  betwixt  the  two  Testaments. 

That  all  one  and  the  same    Spirit  did  govern  our  fore-  The  fathers 
fathers  and  the  people  of  the  new  covenant,  who   can  doubt,  aiion'e%1)u. 
considering  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  one  alone ;   and  that  St 
Peter  doth  in  express  words  testify,  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  n  Pet.  i.  n] 
was  in   the  prophets?      And  St  Paul  also  saith :    "Since  wecacor.  iv. 
have  the   same   spirit  of  faith,   according   to   that    which    is 
written,  I  believed,  and  therefore  I  spake ;  and  we  believe, 
and  therefore  do  we  speak."      Therefore,  although  the  same 
apostle  doth  in  another   place  say,  that  the  faithful  "  have  CR"'"-  '^''''• 
not  received  again  the  spirit  of  bondage  unto  fear,  but  the 
spirit  of  adoption,   whereby   they  cry,   Abba,   Father ;"  yet 
doth  he  not  deny  but  that  the  faithful  fathers  had  the  same 
spirit  that  we  have.     For  even  they  also  cried  to  God  as  to 
their  father,  although  they  obtained  it  not  by  the  law  (which 
terrifieth),  but  by  the  grace  of  Messiah.     Again,  the  same 
apostle  saith:  "  AVhosoever  are  led   by  the   Spirit  of  God,  [Ro'^'*'"- 
they  are  the  sons  of  God :"  which  sentence  we  may   thus 
convert,  and  say,  that  the  sons  of  God  are  led  by  the  Spirit 
of  God.     But   there  is  none,   unless  it  be  such  an  one  as 
never  read  the  scriptures,  which  will  deny  that  the  ancient 
fathers  were  the  sons  of  God,   and  were  so   called  both  by  fxod  iv. 

^    Ueui.  XIV. 

the  Lord  himself,  and  also  by  his  servant  Moses. 

What  may  be  thought  of  that  moreover,  that  our  fore- 
fathers were  called  kings  and  priests,  and  so,  consequently, 
a  royal  priesthood  and   a  priestly   kingdom  ?    which  names 
St  Peter  applied  to    the   faithful   believers   in   Christ  Jesus.  [;^Yi'e?'ii 
Now  such  a  kingdom   and  priesthood  cannot  be,  or  consist,  '•'^ 
without  the  unction  of  the  Spirit. 

["  quam  alias  appellamus,  Lat.] 

[8  merely,  absolutely,  Johnson;  exactius,  Lat.  but  cil.  1577, nearly.] 


286  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM. 

The  holy  apostle  John,  I  confess,  in  his  gospel  said  : 
fjohn  vii.  "  The  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet,  because  Jesus  was  not  yet 
glorified."  But  as  he  spake  not  of  the  substance  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  is  coeternal  with  the  substance  ^  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son ;  so  he  doth  not  altogether  deny  that 
the  fathers  had  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  in  that  place  he 
speaketh  of  the  excellent  gift,  which  after  the  ascension  of 
the  Lord  was  poured  out  upon  the  people  that  did  believe. 
For  John  himself,  interpreting  himself,  doth  immediately 
before  say  :  "  These  words,  '  Whosoever  beUeveth  on  me,  out 
of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  water  of  life,'  spake  he  of 
the  Holy  Ghost 2,  which  they  that  believe  on  him  should 
receive."  The  gift  therefore  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  at 
that  time,  when  the  Lord  spake  those  words,  so  commonly 
and  plentifully  poured  upon  all  men,  as  it  was  upon  the 
faithful  after  the  glorification  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

And  verily  our  forefathers  and  the  holy  prophets  could 
not  have  so  precisely  and  expressly  foretold  all  the  mysteries 
of  Christ  and  the  church,  which  the  evangelists  and  apostles 
do  testify  to  be  now  accomplished  and  fulfilled^,  unless  in 
their  prophecies  they  had  been  governed  by  the  very  same 
Spirit  wherewith  the  apostles  were  afterward  instructed.  For 
it  is  a  wicked  thing  for  us  to  think  that  the  prophets  and 
patriarchs*  did,  like  madmen,  babble  they  knew  not  what, 
and  speak  such  words  as  they  themselves  understood  not. 
Abraham  saw  the  day  of  Christ,  and  was  glad  of  it :  for  by 
that  spiritual  sight  of  his,  he  had^  and  felt  within  himself 
a  certain  kind  of  spiritual  joy.  How  many  times  doth  David 
in  the  Psalms  testify,  that  the  service  of  God  and  the  holy 
congregation  did  delight  him  at  the  very  heart !  Which 
words  he  uttered  not  so  much  for  the  joy  that  he  had  in 
the  external  ceremonies,  but  for  that  he  did,  by  the  Spirit  and 
by  faith,  behold  in  these  ceremonies^  the  true  Messiah  and 
Saviour  of  the  worW.  And  since  it  is  evident  that  our 
forefathers  were  justified  by  the  grace  of  God,  it  is  manifest 
that  that  justification  was  not  wrought  without  the  Spirit  of 

[^  essentise,  Lat.]  [2  de  Spiritu,  Lat.] 

[3  ad  verbum,  Lat. ;  to  the  letter.]  [<  patres  nostros,  Lat.] 

P  capions,  Lat.] 

[6  sivo  ritibus  sacris,  Lat.  omitted  ;  or  holy  rites.] 

[■^  Christum,  Lat. ;  tho  true — world,  not  in  Lat.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.        287 

God ;  through  whicli  Spirit  even  our  justification  at  this  day- 
is  wrought  and  finished.  Therefore  the  fathers  were  governed 
by  the  very  same  Spirit  that  we  of  this  age  are  directed 
by. 

Of  this  opinion  was  St  Augustine,  whose  words,  dearly 
beloved,  I  mean  to  recite  unto  you  word  for  word  out  of  his 
second  book,  de  Peccato  Orig.  contra  Pelag.,  et  Celest.  Cap. 
25.  "  Things  to  come,"  saith  he,  "  were  foreseen  of  the  pro- 
phets by  the  same  spirit  of  faith,  by  which  they  are  of  us  be- 
lieved to  be  already  finished.  For  they,  which  of  very  faithful 
love  could  prophesy  these  things  unto  us,  could  not  choose  but 
be  themselves  partakers  of  the  same.  And  whereupon  is  it  that 
the  apostle  Peter  saith,  '  Why  tempt  ye  God,  to  lay  upon  the 
disciples'  necks  the  yoke  that  neither  our  fiithers  nor  we 
were  able  to  bear ;  but  we  believe  that  through  the  grace  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  wo  shall  be  saved  even  as  they :' 
whereupon  is  it,  I  say,  that  Peter  saith  this,  but  for  be- 
cause they  are  saved  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  not  by  Moses'  law,  by  which  doth  come,  not  the  salving, 
but  the  knowledge  of  sin  ?  But  now  the  righteousness  of 
God  is  without  the  law  made  manifest,  witnessed  by  the  law 
and  prophets.  Therefore  if  it  be  now  at  this  time  made 
manifest,  then  must  it  needs  be  that  it  was  before,  although 
as  then  it  were  hidden  :  the  hiding  whereof  was  prefigured 
by  the  veil  of  the  temple,  which,  when  Christ  died,  was  rent 
in  pieces,  for  a  signification  that  it  was  then  revealed.  And 
therefore  this  grace  of  the  only  Mediator  of  God  and  man, 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  was  then  in  the  people  of  God,  but  it 
was  hidden  in  them,  as  it  were  rain  in  a  fleece,  which  God 
doth  separate  unto  his  inheritance,  not  of  duty,  but  of  his  own 
voluntary  Avill :  but  now,  that  fleece  being  as  it  were  wrung 
out,  that  is,  the  Jewish  people  being  reprobated,  it  is  openly 
seen  in  all  nations,  as  it  were  upon  the  bare  ground  in  an 
open  place^."      This  much  out  of  Augustine. 

[8  Eodem  Spiritu  fidei  ab  illls  liaic  futura  vidcbantur,  quo  a  nobis 
facta  crcduntur.  Xeque  enim,  qui  nobis  ista  fideli  dilectione  propho- 
tare  potuerunt,  eorum  ipsi  participcs  iion  fucrunt.  Et  undo  est  quod 
dicit  Apostolus  Petrus,  Quid  tentatis  Dcum  imponcro  jugum  supra 
collum  discipulorum  quod  nequo  patros  nostri  nequo  nos  potuinius 
portarc;  sed  per  giatiam  Domini  Jesu  credimus  salvi  fieri,  qucmad- 
modum  et  illi ;  nisi  quia  et  illi  per  gratiam  Domini  Jesu  Christi  salvi 


288 


THE   THIRD  DECADE. 


[SERM. 


The  fathers 
had  the  same 
hope  and 
inheritance 
that  we  have. 


That  salva- 
tion was  not 
promised 
only,  but  alsc 
performed 
unto  the 
fathers. 


Now  also  there  was  set  before  the  eyes  of  Israel  a  car- 
nal and  temporal  felicity,  which  yet  was  not  all  that  they 
hoped  upon ;  for  in  that  external  and  transitory  felicity  was 
shadowed  the  heavenly  and  eternal  happiness.  For  the 
apostle,  in  the  fourth  and  eleventh  chapter  to  the  Hebrews, 
saith  that  the  fathers  out  of  that  visible  and  temporal  in- 
heritance did  hope  for  another  invisible  and  everlasting 
heritage.  Neither  was  Christ  to  any  other  end  so  expressly 
promised  them,  nor  the  blessing  and  hfe  in  Christ  for  any 
other  purpose  so  plainly  laid  before  them,  nor  Christ  himself 
almost  in  all  their  ceremonies  so  often  prefigured,  for  any 
other  intent,  but  that  they  thereby  might  be  put  in  hope  of 
the  very  same  life  into  which  we  are  received  through  Christ 
our  Redeemer.  For  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  saith,  that  we 
shall  be  gathered  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  into  the  same 
glory  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 

But  here  is  an  objection  made,  that  life  and  salvation  was 
promised  only,  and  not  performed,  unto  the  fathers ;  but  that 
they,  being  shut  up  in  prison,  did  look  for  the  coming  of 
Messiah.  I,  for  my  part,  do  not  find  any  thing  in  the  scrip- 
tures to  be  written  of  such  a  prison,  whereinto  the  holy 
patriarchs  were  fast  locked  up.  Peter,  verily,  maketh  mention 
of  a  prison ;  but  in  that  prison  he  will  have  the  disobedient, 
and  not  the  obedient,  spirits  to  be.  But  if  any  man  object, 
that  Christ  descended  to  them  below,  we  verily  do  not  deny 
it :  but  yet  we  say  withal,  that  he  descended  to  the  departed 
saints ;  that  is,  that  he  was  gathered  to  the  company  of  the 
blessed  spirits,  which  were  not  in  the  place  of  punishment, 
that  is,  in  torments,  but  in  the  joys  of  heaven ;  as  the  Lord 
himself  confirmeth  the  same,  when,  being  ready  to  descend  to 


facti  sunt,  non  per  legem  Moysi,  per  quam  non  sanatio,  sed  cognitio 
est  facta  peccati  ?  Nunc  autcm  sine  lego  justitia  Dei  manifestata  est, 
tcstificata  per  legem  et  prophetas.  Si  ergo  nunc  manifestata  est, 
etiam  tunc  erat,  sed  occulta.  Cujus  occultationem  significabat  templi 
velum,  quod  est  ad  ejus  significandam  revelationem  Christo  moriente 
conscissum.  Et  tunc  ergo  ista  gratia  unius  mcdiatoris  Dei  ct  liominum, 
hominis  Christi  Jesu,  erat  in  populo  Dei,  sed  tanquam  in  vellero 
pluvia,  quam  non  debitam  sed  voluntariam  segregat  Dcus  hrcreditati 
suce,  inerat  latcns:  nunc  autem,  velut  siccato  illo  vellere,  hoc  est,  Ju- 
daico  populo  reprobate,  in  omnibus  gentibus,  tanquam  in  area,  ccrnitur 
patens. — Aug.  0pp.  Par.  1531.  De  Peccat.  Orig.  cap.  25.  Tom.  vii. 
fol.  164.  col.  3.] 


VIII.]       USE,   rULIILLING,   AND  ABKOGATION    OF   THE   LAW.       289 

them  below,  he  did  say  unto  the  thief,  "  Tliis  day  shalt  tlioii 
be  with  me  in  Paradise."     It  may  also  by  many  places  of 
scripture    be    proved,    that   the  ancient   holy   fiithers,   from 
Adam's  time  until  the  death  of  C'hrist,  at  their  departure  out 
of  this  life  did  presently  for  Christ  his  sake  enter  not  into 
prison,  but  into  eternal  life.      For  our  Lord  in  the  gospel 
after  St  Mark  doth  say  :   "God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  [Markxii. 
but  of  the  living."      But  he  is  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  ^''^ 
and  of  Jacob :  therefore,  consequently,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  do  hve,   or  arc  now  alive;   and  yet  not  in  body,  cor- 
porally:   for  their   bodies,  being   buried,   were   rotten   long 
since ;  therefore  their  souls  do  live  in  joy  ;    and   their  very 
bodies  shall  rise  to  judgment  again.      In  the  gospel  after  St 
Luke   the  Lord  maketh   mention    of  Abraham's  bosom,  into  ^g^^'^'aS'"'- 
which  are  gathered  all  the  blessed  spirits ;  and  of  it  he  testi- 
fieth,  that  it  is  placed  aloft,  and  that  it  is  not  a  place  of  pain 
and  punishment,   but  of  joy  and  refreshing.      And  therefore 
we  do  often  read  in  the  scriptures  of  the  holy  fathers,   that 
they  were  gathered  unto  their  people;  that  is  to  say,  that  they 
were  received  into  the  fellowship  of  those  fathers,  with  whom 
they  had  in  this  world  remained  in  the  same  faith  and  same 
kind  of  religion.      For   the  sequences  and  circumstances  of 
those  places  do  manifestly  declare,  that  those  words'  cannot  be 
expounded  corporally  of  the  burial  of  the  body.    Again,  in  the 
gospel  after  St  Matthew  the  Lord  saith :  "I  say  unto  you,  [Afatt.  viii. 
that  many  shall  come  out  of  the  oast  and  out  of  the  west,  and  "''''■■' 
shall  rest  themselves  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  :   but  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
cast  out  into   utter  darkness ;    there  shall   be   weeping   and 
gnashing  of  teeth."      JN'ow  if  the  Gentiles  must  be  gathered 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  that  they  must  be  placed  in 
the  fellowship  of  the  fathers ;  then  must  it  needs  be  that  the 
fathers  were  already  in  heaven,  and  felt  the  joys  thereof  at 
that  very  time  when  the  Lord  spake  these  words :   who  also 
in  the  gospel  after  St  John   doth   plainly   say  :  "  Abraham  [.w-hn  viii. 
was  glad   to  see   my   day ;    and  he   saw  it,  and  rejoiced :" 
which  saying  although  we  understand  to  be  spoken  of  the 
justification  and  joy  of  the  conscience,  yet  do  we  not  separate 
from  it  the  joy  of  eternal  life;  because  the  one  doth  of  necessity 
depend   upon  and  follow  the  other. 

Moreover  we  must  here  consider  the  occasion  upon  which 

[bULLINGLK;    M.J 


290  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM. 

these  words  of  the  Lord  do  seem  to  have  been  spoken^.     The 
Lord  had  said :  "  Verily,  verilj,  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  keep 
my  saying,  he  shall  never  taste  of  death :"  which  words  the 
Jews  took  hold  on,  and  said,  "  Abraham  is  dead,  and  the  pro- 
phets are  dead ;  and  yet  sayest  thou.  If  a  man  will  keep  my 
saying,  he  shall  never  see  death  ?    What,  art  thou  greater  than 
our  father  Abraham,  which  is  dead  ?  and  the  prophets  are  dead 
also.    Whom  makest  thou  thyself?"    To  this  the  Lord  made 
answer,  and  shewed  that  Abraham  is  quickened,  or  else  pre- 
served in  life  and  heavenly  joy,  through  faith  in  the  sayings 
of  Christ  Jesus ;  and  that,  howsoever  he  is  dead  in  body,  yet 
notwithstanding  his  soul  doth  live  in  joy  forever  with  God,  in 
whom  he  did  put  his  trust.     To  this  may  be  added,  that  David 
in  the  sixteenth  psalm,  caUing  God  his  hope,  his  expectation, 
and  his  inheritance,  doth  among  other  things   say  :    "  The 
Lord  is  always  at  my  right  hand.      Therefore  my  heart  is 
glad,  my  glory  rejoiceth,  and  my  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope. 
For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell,  neither  wilt  thou 
suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.     Thou  wilt  make  me 
to  know  the  path  of  life  :  in  thy  presence  is  the  fulness  of 
joy,  and  at  thy  right  hand  there  be  pleasures  for  evermore." 
And  although  St  Peter  and  St  Paul  do  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  apply  this  testimony  of  David,  as  a  thing  spoken 
prophetically,  unto  Christ  Jesus ;  yet  notwithstanding,  no  man 
can  deny  but  that  the  same  may,  after  a  certain  manner,  be 
referred  unto  David,  who  in  that  psalm  maketh  a  profession 
of  his  faith,  declareth  his  hope,  and  expresseth  his  Michtam, 
that   is,   his   delight,    or    the  arms  or  cognisance    whereby 
he  would  be  known 2.      Those  words   therefore  do  first  ap- 
pertain to  Christ,  and  then  to  David  and  all  the  faithful :  for 
the  life  and  resurrection  of  Christ  is  the  life  and  resurrection 
of  the  faithful.     Again,  in  another  place  the  same  prophet 
[Psii.  xxvii.   saith  :   *'  I  believe  verily  .to  see  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in 
the  land  of  the  living."     Now  in  the  land  of  the  living  there 
is  neither  death  nor  dolour,  but  fulness  of  joy  and  everlasting 
pleasures :  these  joys  and  delights  David  by  faith  did  look  to 
obtain  at  the  hand  of  God  through  Christ  his  Saviour,  and 
did   indeed,    according   to   his  hope,    possess  the  same  im- 

[1  pctitum  ac  pronunciatum,  Lat.] 

]^  insignia,  aurcolum,  aut   cleynodium,  Lat.     DJ^^J^.] 


VIII.]      USE,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION  OF  THE   LAW.        291 

mediately  after  he  did  depart  out  of  tliis  life,  although  it  were 
many  years  after  his  death  or  ever  Christ  did  come  in  the  flesh; 
even  as  we  also  at  this  day  are  saved  by  him,  although  it  be 
now  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  odd  years  ago  since  he  in 
his  flesh  did  depart  from  the  earth  •\ 

But  whereas  Paul  in  the  eleventh  to  the  Hebrews  saith ; 
'•'  And  all  these  holy  fathers,  having  through  faith  obtained 
good  report,  received  not  the  promise,  because  God  had  pro- 
vided a  better  thing  for  us,  that  they  without  us  should  not 
be  made  perfect;"  I  think  simply,  that  it  must  be  understood 
of  the  perfect ■*  or  full  felicity,  in  which  the  holy  fathers  with- 
out us  are  not  consummated,  or  made  perfect ;  because  there 
is  yet  behind  the  general  resurrection  of  all  flesh,  which  must 
first  come  :  and  when  that  is  once  finished,  then  is  the  felicity 
of  all  the  saints  consummated  or  made  perfect ;  which  felicity 
shall  then  not  be  given  to  the  soul  alone,  but  to  the  body  also. 
St  Peter  also  doth  constantly  affirm,  that  salvation  is  first  of 
all  by  Christ  purchased  for  tlie  souls  of  the  holy  saints ;  then 
that  they  by  the  same  Christ^  are  immediately  upon  their 
bodily  death  received  to  be  partakers  of  the  same  salvation ; 
and  lastly,  that  in  the  end  of  the  world  the  bodies  of  the 
saints  being  raised  from  death,  as  the  bodies  of  all  men  be, 
shall  appear  before  Christ  to  be  judged  by  him.  "The  Lord,"  i 
saith  he,  "  shall  judge  both  the  quick  and  the  dead.  For  to 
this  end  was  the  gospel  preached  to  the  dead,  that  in  the  flesh 
they  should  be  judged  like  men**,  but  in  the  spirit  they  should 
live  with  God^:"  that  is  to  say,  the  death  of  Christ  is^ 
efi'ectual  to  the  fathers  that  died  in  the  faith  :  so  that  now  in 
soul  they  live  Avith  God,  and  that  they  again  are  to  be  judged 
in  their  flesh^  like  to  all  other  men,  at  what  time  the  Lord 
shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  Therefore  our 
salvation  is  not  as  yet  perfect  nor  consummated,  but  shall  be 
made  perfect  in  the  end  of  the  world. 

Moreover,  our  forefathers  did  not  pray  to  any  other  but 

[3  licet  venerit  ante  annos  mille  quingcntos  quadraginta  novem, 
Lat. ;  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-nine.] 

[•*  ut  Ipse  Pauhis  (licit,  Lat.  omitted  ;  as  Paul  himself  speaks.] 

[5  by  the  same  Christ,  not  in  Lat.] 

[<5  secundum  homines,  Lat.] 

["  juxta  Dcum,  Lat.]  [8  fuit,  Lat. ;  was.] 

[9  came  sivo  in  corporibus  suis,  Lat.] 

19—2 


292  THE   THIUD  DKCADE.  [sERM. 

rhe  fathers    God  alonG,  the  only  Cjreator  of  all  things ;  and  did  believe 
verily  that    he    would  be    merciful  unto   mankind    for  the 


and  we  have 
all  one 
manner  of 


invocation,  blcsscd  Secd's  Sake.  And  although  they  did  not  so  usually 
call  upon  God,  as  we  at  this  day  do,  through  the  Mediator 
and  intercessor  Christ  Jesus ;  even  as  the  Lord  in  the  gospel 

[John  xvi.  did  himself  testify,  and  say,  '•  Hitherto  have  ye  not  asked 
any  thing  in  my  name:  ask,  and  ye  shall  receive;"  yet 
were  they  not  utterly  ignorant  of  the  Mediator,  for  whose 
sake  they  were  heard  of  the  Lord.  Daniel  in  the  ninth  chap- 
ter of  his  prophecy  maketh  his  prayer,  and  desireth  to  be 
heard  of  God  for  the  Lord's  sake,  that  is,  for  the  promised 
Christ  his  sake.  Finally,  so  often  as  the  holy  saints  did  in 
their  prayers  say,  "  Remember,  Lord,  thy  servants,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,"  they  did  not  look  back  to  the  persons  or 
souls  of  the  deceased  patriarchs,  but  to  the  promise  that  was 
made  to  the  patriarchs.  Now  since  that  promise  is,  "In  thy 
seed  shall  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed  ; "  and  since 
Paul  doth  testify,  that  Christ  is  that  blessed  Seed  ;  it  followeth 
consequently,  that  the  holy  fathers  in  their  prayers  had  an 
eye  to  the  blessed  Seed,  and  that  they  did  desire  God  to  hear 
them  for  Christ  his  sake.      For  in  one  place  also  the  Lord 

[■2  Kings  xix.  promiseth  deliverance  to  king  Ezechias,  saying ;  "  I  will 
defend  this  city  for  mine  own  sake,  and  for  my  servant 
David's  sake."  But  in  the  seventh  and  twenty-eighth 
chapter  of  Esay's  prophecy  it  is  manifest  that  the  city  was 
spared  for  Christ  his  sake,  the  son  of  the  virgin,  which  is  the 
foundation  placed  in  Sion;  whom  Ezechicl  in  the  thirty-fourth 

[Matth  xxii.  chapter  calleth  by  the  name  of  David,  and  the  gospel  calleth 
David's  son. 

The  fathers  Last  of  all,  tlic  apostlo  Paul  doth  shew  that  the  ancient 

and  we  have     /.     ■,  ,        , 

theverysatne  fatlicrs  had  amongst  them  the  very  same  sacraments  which  wo 

sacraments.  &  ^  J 

now  have ;  as  he  doth  in  other  places  also  make  us  partakers 
and  apply  to  us  both  circumcision  and  the  passover,  the  sacra- 
ments which  were  given  to  them  of  old  ;  as  doth  appear  in  the 
second  to  the  Colossians,  and  1  Corinthians,  the  fifth  chapter. 
In  the  tenth  chapter  he  threateneth  grievous  punishment  to 
the  Corinthians  at  the  hands  of  God,  unless  they  abstain  from 
things  offered  to  idols,  and  from  all  heathenish  sensuality. 
And  thereupon  he  bringeth  in  the  example  of  the  Israelites, 
Avhich  he  doth  after  this  manner  apply  to  his  purpose:  "I 
would  not,  brethren,  that  yc  should  be   ignorant,   that  our 


Vm.]      rSE,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION   OF  THE   LAW.        29.1 

fathers  were  the  churcli  of  God,  and  that  they  had  the  same 
sacraments  which  we  at  this  day  have.  For  they  were  all 
baptized  unto  ]\Ioscs  (that  is,  by  ]\Ioses,  or  by  the  ministery 
of  Moses)  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea.  (For  the  cloud  and  the 
sea  were  figures  of  baptism.)  And  they  did  also^  eat  of  the 
same  spiritual  meat,  and  did  drink  of  the  same  spiritual  drink." 
And  immediately  after  he  interpreteth  his  own  meaning,  and 
saith  :  "For  they  drank  of  the  spiritual  rock  that  followed 
them  ;  which  rock  was  Christ."  ^lanna  verily,  and  the  rock, 
did  typically  represent  the  spiritual  food  wherewith  Christ 
refresheth  both  us  and  them,  who  is  himself  the  bread  and 
drink  of  eternal  life.  But  although  they  did  bodily,  outwardly, 
and  visibly  receive  their  sacraments;  yet  for  because  they  were 
destitute  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  because  they  were  de- 
filed with  the  worshipping  of  idols,  with  surfeiting  and  fornica- 
tion, they  displeased  God,  and  were  by  him  destroyed  in  the 
desert.  And  therefore,  unless  ye  also  abstain  from  those 
filthy  vices,  neither  shall  baptism  nor  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper' avail  you,  but  ye  shall  undoubtedly  be  destroyed 
of  the  Lord. 

Since  therefore  it  is  by^  most  evident  proofs  of  scripture 
declared,  that  the  old  fathers  had  the  same  sacraments,  the 
same  invocation  of  God,  the  same  hope,  expectation,  and  inhe- 
ritance, the  same  Spirit,  the  same  fiiith,  and  the  same  doctrine, 
which  we  at  this  day  have ;  the  mark,  I  hope,  whereat  I  shot 
is  fully  hit ;  and  I  have,  I  trust,  sufiiciently  proved,  that  the 
faithful  fathers  of  the  old  testament,  and  we  the  believers  of 
the  new  covenant,  are  one  church  and  one  people,  which  are  all 
saved  under  one  congregation,  under  one  only  testament,  and 
by  one  and  the  same  manner  of  means,  to  wit,  by  faith  in 
Christ  Jesu. 

Thus  much  have  I  hitherto  said  touching  the  likeness,  the  ofthedif- 
agreement,  and  the  unity  betwixt  the  old  and  new  testament,  j'^^*^,';^,^^^"' 
or  people  of  God.      I  will  now  add  somewhat  touching  the  an^i  reo^ie. 
diversity  betwixt  them,  and  the  things  wherein  they  differ. 

In  the  very  substance,  truly,  thou  canst  find  no  diversity: 
the  diflfcrence  which  is  betwixt  them  doth  consist  in  the  manner 
of  administration,  in  a  few  accidents,  and  certain  circumstances. 

[1  omnes,  Lat.  omitted;  all.] 

[2  aut  spiritualo  opulum,  Lat.  ;  or  the  spiritual  l)aii'|Uot.] 

[•■'  his  tcstimoniis,  Lat. :  thcso  proofs.] 


294  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM, 

For  to  the  promise  or  doctrine  of  faith,  and  to  the  chief  and 

principal  laws,  there  were  annexed  certain  external  things,  which 

were  added  until  the  time  of  amendment ;  so  that  the  whole 

ecclesiastical  regiment,  the  manner  of  teaching  the  doctrine 

of  godliness,  and  the  outward  worshsip  of  God,  was  among  the 

old  fathers  of  one  sort,  and  is  among  us  of  another.      But  the 

especial  things  wherein  they  differ  may   be  rehearsed   and 

set  down  in  these  few  principal  points. 

All  things  First  and  foremost,  all  things  of  the  new  covenant  are 

iSThe^newf°  moro    cloar  and  manifest  than  those  of   the   old  testament. 

c^enanl      The  preaching^  of  the  old  covenant  had  always  in  it,  for  the 

than  were  in  a  o  ^  i        i         i  •  i  mi  i 

the  old.  most  part,  some  misty  or  cloudy  thing,  and  was  still  covered 
and  wrapped  up  in  shadows  and  dim  shews :  but  the  publish- 
ing of  the  new  testament  is  clear  and  manifest,  so  that  it  is 
called  the  light  which  is  without  all  mists  and  darkness. 
Moses  did  with  a  vail  cover  his  face,  neither  could  the  children 
of  Israel  behold  his  countenance :  but  we,  beholding  not  only 
the  countenance  of  Moses  which  is  now  uncovered,  but  the 
pleasant  and  amiable^  face  of  Christ  himself,  do  greatly  rejoice 
to  see  our  salvation  openly  revealed  before  our  eyes.  In  that 
sense  did  the  Lord  say  that  his  disciples  were  happy,  where 
he  brake  out  into  these  words:  "Happy  are  the  eyes  which  see 
the  things  that  ye  see.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  many  pro- 
phets and  kings  desired  to  see  the  things  that  ye  see,  and  saw 
them  not ;  and  to  hear  the  things  that  ye  hear,  and  heard 
them'not."  The  just  man  Simeon  did  in  this  sense  call  him- 
self as  happy  a  man  as  lived,  and  did  thereupon  promise  that 

[Lukeii.  29- he  was  willing  to  die,  saying:  "Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy 
servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word.  For  mine 
eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation;  which  thou  hast  prepared  before 
the  face  of  all  people;  to  be  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and 
to  be  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel." 

But  although  our  forefathers  had  not  so  much  light  as 
doth  shine  to  us  in  Christ  since  his  coming  in  the  flesh,  yet  was 
that  little  light  which  they  had  sufficient  to  the  getting  of  sal- 
vation by  faith  in  Christ.  Even  we  ourselves,  although  we  see 
him^  far  more  clearly  than  our  forefathers  did,  do  notwith- 
standing behold  him  but  in  a  mist^  in  comparison  of  the  bright- 

[1  revelatio,  Lat.] 

[2  clarissimam  et  amoenissimam,  Lat.]  [3  him,  not  in  Lat.] 

[4  in  cenigmatc,  Lat. ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.] 


VIII.]      USE,  FULFILLING,   AND  ABROGATION   OF   THE   LAW.       295 

ness  wherein  he  shall  appear^  For  wo  shall  hereafter  see 
him^  face  to  face  in  the  glory  of  his  majesty^:  and  yet  not- 
withstanding even  this  sight  of  him'^,  which  now  we  have,  is 
sufficient  to  salvation.  Therefore  it  is  a  very  fine  similitude, 
and  prettily  said  of  them  which  say,  "Although  at  day-break 
the  brightness  of  the  sun  is  not  so  great  as  it  is  at  noon-day, 
yet  wayfarers  or  travellers  do  not  stay  till  the  sun  be  at  the 
highest,  but  take  the  morning  before  them  to  go  their  journey 
in,  and  have  light  enough  to  see  the  way."  For  in  like 
manner  they  think,  that  to  our  forefathers  even  that  little 
portion  of  light,  which  was  in  the  morning,  was  sufficient  by 
the  leading  of  faith  to  bring  them  through  all  impediments  to 
eternal  felicity.  In  the  mean  time,  we  have  great  cause  to 
rejoice^,  that  Christ,  the  very  sun  and  light  of  righteousness^ 
doth,  after  the  ipisty  light  of  the  day-star  of  the  law  ^°,  shine 
forth  to  us  in  the  new  testament. 

Moreover  the  forefathers  in  the  old  testament  had  types.  The  new  te*. 

,       ,  ,     „  f     ^  •  1  1  lament  hath 

shadows,  and  fio-ures  of  thmo;s  to  come,  but  we  have  now  re- no  figures  or 

'  °        .  .  .  tvpes,  but  IS 

ceived  the  very  thing  itself  which  was  to  them  prefigured,  o^^^'lii,'"/. 
Therefore  the  thing  which  God  did  promise  to  them  he  hath 
performed  and  given  to   us.      They  verily  did  believe  that 
Christ  should  come  and  deliver  all  the  faithful  from  their  sins; 
and  we  believe  that  he  is  already  come,  that  he  hath  re- 
deemed us,  and  hath  fulfilled  all  that  the  prophets  foretold  of 
him.    Therefore  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  said:    "The  prophets  rLuke xvi. 
and  the  law  prophesied  unto  John;   since  that  time  the  king-  ^'^ 
of  God  is  preached,  and  suffereth  violence  of  every  man." 
"Whereupon  it  is  gathered,  when  the  thing  prefigured  is  come 
and  present,  that  then  the  figures  and  shadows,  which  did 
foreshew  the  things  to  come,  do  come  to  an  end  and  vanish 
away.      Therefore  the  yoke  and  burden,  which  our  fathers  chrut  hath 
did  bear,  is  thereby  taken  from  our  necks.     The  worshipping  we:^" 
of  God,  which  they  did  use  externally,  was  very  busy  ^^  and  shouiden. 

p  in  comparison — appear,  not  in  Lat.] 

[6  Tho  Latin  is  only,  in  gloria,  in  glory.] 

[7  of  him,  not  in  Lat.] 

[8  et  propter  quod  cctcrnas  Deo  nostro  agamus  gratias, Lat.  omitted; 
and  we  should  render  to  our  God  everlasting  thanks  for  it.] 

[p  clarissimus  Sol,  Lat.] 

[10  post  luciferum  istum  et  Stellas  lucidissimas,  Lat. ;  after  that  day- 
etar  and  the  very  bright  stars. — of  the  law,  not  in  Lat.] 

[11  operosus,  Lat.] 


29G  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [sERJf. 

burdensome ;  as  the  Aaronical  priesthood,  the  tabernacle  or 
temple  that  was  to  be  throughly  furnished  with  most  exquisite 
things  and  instruments,  their  sundry  sorts  of  sacrifices,  and 
many  moe  ceremonies  like  unto  these.  Now  from  all  this 
cost  and  business  we,  which  be  the  people  of  the  new  covenant, 
are  freely  disburdened  and  set  at  liberty.  And  he  by  whom 
we  are  disburdened  is  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  alone  we  have 
all  things  necessary  to  life  and  salvation.  For  it  pleased  God 
the  Father  to  recapitulate  in  him,  and,  as  St  Paul  saith,  to 
bring  into  a  sum',  all  things  requisite  to  life  and  salvation; 
that  the  things  which  seemed  before  to  be  dispersed  here  and 
there  should  in  Christ  alone  be  fully  exhibited  and  brought 
unto  us.  For  Christ  is  the  fulfilling  of  all  the  types  and  cere- 
monies ;  by  whose  Spirit  since  we  do  now  possess  the  thing 
prefigured,  we  have  no  longer  need  of  the  representing  types 
and  shadows.  The  external  things  that  Christ  hath  ordained 
are  very  few,  and  of  very  small  cost.  Therefore  the  people 
of  the  new  testament  doth  enjoy  a  passing  great  and  ample 
liberty. 

To  this,  I  suppose,  doth  belong  that  excellent  place  of 
St  Paul,  which  is  to  be  seen  in  the  fourth  to  the  Galatians, 
where,  in  handling  this  matter  diligently,  he  feigneth  that  there 
are  two  mothers,  the  one  whereof  doth  gender  to  bondage, 
and  the  other  unto  liberty ;  and  that  he  doth  under  the  type 
of  Agar  and  Sara  ;  by  which  he  noteth  the  two  doctrines ; 
that  of  the  law,  and  that  of  the  gospel.  That  of  the  law 
gendereth  to  bondage,  but  that  of  the  gospel  doth  gender 
unto  liberty.  Therefore  the  law  did  gender  the  holy  fathers 
and  the  prophets  unto  bondage,  not  that  they  should  abide 
bond-slaves  for  ever,  but  that  it  might  keep  them  under  dis- 
cipline ;  yea,  that  it  might  lead  them  unto  Christ,  the  full 
perfection  of  the  law.  The  liberty  of  the  fathers  was  by  the 
weight  and  heap  of  ceremonies  so  oppressed  and  covered, 
that  although  they  were  free  in  spirit  before  the  Lord,  yet 
notwithstanding  they  did  in  outward  shew  differ  little  or  no- 
thing from  very  bond-slaves,  by  reason  of  the  burden  of  the 
law  that  lay  upon  their  shoulders.  For  insomuch  as  the 
law  was  not  as  yet  abrogated,  they  were  compelled  precisely 
to  observe  it.  But  when  Christ  was  come  and  had  fulfil- 
led all  things,  then  did  the  shadows  vanish  away,  and  that 
[1  Epli.  i.  10.     See  Vol.  I.  page  150.] 


Vni.]       rSE,    FULFILLING,    AND   ABROGATION    OF    THE    LAW.       21)7 

heavy  yoke  was  taken  from  the  neck  of  us  Christians.  So 
by  this  means  our  mother  Sara  gendereth  us  unto  hberty. 
She  is  the  mother  of  us  all.  Of  that  mother  (which  is  also 
called  the  holy  mother  church)  we  have  the  seed  of  life :  she 
hath  fashioned  us,  and  brought  us  forth  into  the  light ;  she 
colleth-  us  in  her  bosom,  wherein  she  canieth  both  milk  and 
meat,  (I  mean  the  word  of  God,)  to  nourish,  save,  and  bring 
us  up. 

Now   the    bonds   being    cancelled,   and   the  middle  wall.  The  people 
■which  was  a  ston,   bcino;  broken  down,  God  doth   more  libe-  testament 

,,,,''■,,  .       .  are  new  aiul 

rally  rule  his  church,  and  not  retain  it  any  longer  under  so  nu'^^pr"" 
strait  a  custody.  For  neither  is  the  people  of  God  con- 
tained within  the  bounds  of  the  land  of  promise  ;  for  they 
are  dispersed  to  the  ends  of  the  world :  neither  are  the  cir- 
cumcised, and  those  that  keep  the  law,  his  people  now, 
(although  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  that  even  then,  when 
circumcision  was  of  forced  he  had  some  that  were  his  people 
among  the  Gentiles,  as  Job,  and  other  moe  which  he  himself 
did  know  ;)  but  those  are  his  people,  which  do  acknowledge 
Christ,  although  they  be  neither  circumcised  nor  busied  with 
the  law.  This  is  a  new  people,  gathered  together  out  of 
all  the  world  b3^  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  To  this  new  testa- so  that  the 

1        1       /-ii     •  •  I  •  1  •  1         -r  people  of  tilis 

ment   hath   Christ  given  his  own  name:    wnerein   the  Jews  testament  are 

O  after  the 

have  none  inheritance,  unless  they  forsake  their  stubborn  christcfiiied 
opinion  of  the  law,  and  cleave  to  Christ  alone  without  af-  ^''"^"dns. 
fiance  in  the  law.  All  the  books  of  the  prophets  are  fully 
fraughted  with  testimonies  touching  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles 
unto  the  communion  and  fellowship  of  God,  and  also  touching 
the  reprobation  of  the  Jews,  who  for  their  unreclaimable 
affiance  in  the  law  are  utterly  rejected. 

Furthermore,  the  apostle  Paul  puttcth  another  difference  The  gifts  of 
betwixt  the  two  testaments,  alludine;  to  the  prophecy  of  Je- tamem arc 

O  11./  n,o5,t  ann>le 

remy,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  Epistle -p^,'^', '"=""- 
to  the  Hebrews.  For  he  attributeth  to  the  people  of  the 
new  testament  certain  excellent  gifts,  to  wit,  absolute  and  full 
remission  of  their  sins :  for  he  saith,  "  Because  I  will  be 
merciful  to  their  unrighteousnesses,  and  I  will  no  more  re- 
member their  sins  and  iniquities."  He  doth  also  attribute 
to  the  people  of  the  new  testament  a  most  exquisite  refor- 

[2  fovet,  L;it.     To  coll:   to  embraf'o.] 
p  when — of  force,  not  Jn  L:it.] 


298  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

mation  and  absolute  illumination  of  their  minds:  for  he 
saith,  "  I  will  plant  my  laws  in  their  minds,  and  write  them 
in  their  hearts ;  and  then  shall  no  man  teach  his  neighbour, 
or  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all 
know  me,  from  the  little  unto  the  great."  But  of  the  law  it 
is  written,  that  it  was  graven  in  tables  of  stone.  Yet  for  all 
this  let  no  man  think  that  the  fathers  obtained  no  remission 
of  their  sins.  For  as  they  by  faith  had  free  forgiveness  of 
their  sins,  so  did  God^  both  write  his  law  and  pour  his 
Spirit  into  their  hearts.  For  which  of  us  at  this  day  can 
say,  that  we  excel  in  knowledge  and  in  faith^  either  Abra- 
ham, Moses,  Samuel,  David,  Esay,  Daniel,  or  Zacharias?  So 
then  the  difference  is  not,  in  that  the  fathers  of  the  old  tes- 
tament were  without  the  remission  of  sins  and  the  illumination 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  we  alone,  which  are  the  people 
of  the  new  testament,  have  obtained  them  :  but  the  difference 
doth  consist  in  the  greatness,  ampleness,  largeness,  and  plen- 
tifulness  of  the  gifts,  to  wit,  because  they  are  more  liberally 
bestowed  and  more  plentifully  poured  out  upon  more  now 
than  they  were  of  old.  For  all  nations,  being  called  do  not 
by  dropmeal,  but  by  whole  handfuls,  draw  the  water  of  life. 
The  Lord  doth  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  all  flesh.  Of  old 
God  was  known  in  Jury  only ;  but  now,  since  Christ  is  come 
into  the  world,  his  disciples  are  gone  through  all  the  corners 
of  the  earth,  and  teach  all  kingdoms  to  know  the  Lord.  Of 
old  the  worthy  men^  and  prophets  were  not  so  many  but 
that  they  might  be  numbered ;  because  the  land  of  promise 
in  a  manner  alone  did  breed  such  good  and  holy  men ;  but 
who  is  at  this  day  able  to  reckon  all  the  kings,  princes, 
noblemen,  prophets,  bishops,  doctors,  martyrs,  and  excellent 
persons  of  every  sex,  estate,  and  age,  which  have  been  and 
are  at  this  day  bred,  not  only  in  Jurie,  but  also  in  Arabia, 
Idumea,  Phoenicia,  Mesopotamia,  Persia,  Asia,  Egypt,  Africa, 
Greece,  Italy,  the  east,  the  south,  the  west,  and  the  north? 
Free  remission  of  sins  is  preached  to  all  countries  and  king- 
doms. All  the  faithful  in  every  nation  under  heaven  are 
through  Christ  received  into  the  grace  and  favour  of  God 
the  Father.      All  have  received  in  great  abundance  the  gift 

[1  olim  quoque,  Lat. ;  of  old  also,] 

[2  illuminatione,  Lat.  omitted ;  and  in  illumination.] 

[3  heroes,  Lat.  omitted.] 


VIII.]       USE,   FULFILLING,  AND  ABROGATION   OF  THE   LAW.       299 

of  the  Holy  Ghost.     All  have  prophesied.     All  have  known 
the  Lord. 

Finally,  the  law  makcth  no  man  perfect*.  The  gospel 
simply  maketh  perfect,  and  doth  directly,  without  any  stop, 
lead  us  to  Christ,  and  causeth  us  to  rest  and  to  content  our- 
selves in  him  alone. 

Last  of  all,  I  will  not  slip  over  this  difference,  although  it  The  new 
be  of  little  weight,  and  such  an  one  as  other  hke  unto  it  may  hathno"pro. 

^  .       ,  ''    iniseofariy 

be  easily  observed ;  that  the  law,  appointing  out  a  certain  certain 
land,  peculiarly  separated  from  other  nations,  did  promise  to  co""""y- 
the  old  fathers  the  possession  of  the  same,  so  long  as  they  did 
keep  the  law ;  but  if  they  did  transgress  the  law,  then  did  it 
threaten  that  they  should  be  rooted  up  and  utterly  cast  out  of 
that  good  land.  But  to  us  no  one  limited  land  is  expressly 
promised  :  "for  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof;  [Psai.  xxiv. 
the  round  world,  and  all  that  therein  is."  But  although  he  doth 
not  here  assign  to  us,  as  he  did  to  our  forefathers  of  old,  any 
certain  or  peculiar  thing,  yet  doth  he  not  at  any  time  neglect 
us :  for  he  feedeth,  blesseth,  and  preserveth  us  in  every  land 
and  nation.  Therefore  the  promises  which  were  of  old  made 
to  our  forefathers  concerning  the  land  of  promise,  being  come 
to  an  end,  are  utterly  vanished  away ;  so  that  they,  which 
for  an  age  or  two  ago  did  incite  many  nations  to  arm  themselves 
for  the  recovery  of  the  holy  land,  do  seem  to  have  been  besides 
their  wits.  Christ  by  his  coming  into  the  world  hath  sancti- 
fied all  the  earth  :  for  there  are  in  every  nation  of  the  world 
some  sons  and  heirs  of  God  and  his  kingdom. 

Touching  the  likeness  and  agreement,  the  unlikeness  and 
difference  of  both,  I  mean,  the  old  and  new  testaments  or 
people,  I  have  therefore  spoken  the  more  briefly,  because 
I  have  in  the  first  sermon  of  the  first  decade,  and  in  the  sixth 
sermon  of  the  third  decade,  already  handled  the  selfsame 
matter.  Finally,  I  have  but  shortly  touched  the  abrogation 
of  the  law,  because  I  did  a  good  while  ago  set  forth  two 
treatises;  the  one  Of  the  ancient  faith^  the  other  Of  the  only 
and  eternal  covenant  of  God'';  which  treatises  I  know  to  be 
familiar  among  you. 

[4  Scd  duccbat  ad  spcm  potiorcm,  Lat.  omitted  ;  but  led  to  a  better 
hope.] 

[5  See  the  Old  Faith,  in  Bp.  Covcrdale's  Works,  Fruitful  Lessons, 
Parker  Soc.  ed.    The  Latin  translation  was  published  at  Zurich,  1544.] 

[•5  This  latter  treatise, — De  Testamento  seu  Fa?dcro  Dei  unico  et 


SCO  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

I  will  not  here,  in  the  conclusion,  recapitulate  unto  you 
the  special  points  of  this  sermon ;  partly  because  I  have 
already  been  somewhat  too  long ;  and  partly  because  I  have, 
as  I  hope,  used  so  plain  an  order,  that  every  point  is  in- 
differently well  settled  in  every  man's  memory.  Thus  have  I, 
by  God's  grace  and  sufferance,  made  an  end  to  treat  of  God's 
holy  law,  wherein  I  have  been  occupied  a  good  sort  of  days 
by  several  sermons.  Blessed  be  God  and  our  heavenly  Father 
Avorld  without  end ;  whom  I  beseech  to  bless  us  all  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour.      Amen, 


OF  CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,  AND  OF  OFFENCES.      OF  GOOD 
WORKS,  AND   THE   REWARD   THEREOF. 

THE    NINTH    SEEMON. 

I  HAVE  already  through  many  sermons  discoursed  long 
upon  God's  laws.  Now  therefore,  because  upon  the  considera- 
tion and  handling  of  the  law  there  do  arise  certain  points  not^ 
to  be  omitted,  which  do  depend  upon,  and  are  annexed  hand 
in  hand  unto,  the  law ;  of  which  sort  are  christian  liberty, 
good  works,  the  reward"  of  good  works;  ^sin,  and  the  reward 
or  punishment  of  sin ;  I  will  speak  of  them  in  order,  as  God 
shall  put  into  my  mouth  :  whom  I  shall  desire  you  to  pray 
unto  with  me,  beseeching  him  not  to  suffer  me  to  speak, 
in  these  or  other  points  of  holy  doctrine,  the  thing  that  shall 
sound  against  his  holy  will. 
Of  christian  Upou  the  abrogation  of  the  law  doth  christian  liberty 

depend  and  follow,  as  the  effect  of  the  abrogating  of  the  law ; 
which  liberty  doth  minister  us  occasion  to  speak  of  offences. 

Now  concerning  christian  liberty  the  most  holy  apostle 
of  Christ,  St  Paul,  hath  reasoned  very  diligently  and  largely ; 
whereby  we  may  gather  that  the  consideration  of  christian 
liberty  is  neither  of  no  weight,  nor  yet  of  little  profit.  But 
the  treatise  thereof  is  especially  necessary  to  us  of  this  age, 

retcrno, — Bullinger  published  at  Zurich,  a.d.  1534,  and  afterwards 
appended  to  liis  Commentaries  in  Epistolas  Apostolorum  canonicas 
.soptcm.] 

[1  non  contemncnda,  Lat.  omitted;  not  to  bo  thoutiht  liylitly  of.] 

[2  mercos  sivc  proomium,  Lat.] 

[•''  deniquo,  Lat.  omitted  ;  lastly.] 


liberty. 


IX.]  OF    CHRISTIAN    LIBERTY,    WORKS,     AND    .MERITS.  30l 

among  whom  there  are  no  small  number  of  men,  which  do 
either  not  understand  what  christian  liberty  is ;  or  else,  if 
they  know  it,  do  foully  abuse  it,  thereby  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh.  I  will  therefore  tell  you  Avho  is  the  deliverer  that 
setteth  us  at  liberty ;  who  they  are  that  he  settcth  at  liberty ; 
and  wherein^  and  how  far  forth  he  settcth  them  at  liberty  : 
which  things  being  once  known,  it  will  be  an  easy  matter  to 
perceive  what  christian  liberty  is,  what  the  property  or  dis- 
position of  those  is  which  are  so  set  at  liberty,  and  how  far 
forth  they  must  beware  from  giving  offence  to  any  man,  and 
from  abusing  their  granted  liberty. 

There  is  none  other  deliverer  promised,  given  ^  and  who  is  our 
preached  unto  us,  than  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God.  For  he 
which  doth  deliver  other  men,  must  be  himself  free  from  the 
bands  wherewith  they  are  tied,  that  wish  and  look  to  be  set 
at  liberty.  But  throughout  all  ages  there  is  none  such  to  bo 
found  in  all  the  world,  nor  yet  in  heaven,  but  Jesus  Christ^ 
alone,  the  Son  of  God ;  who  for  that  cause  did  in  the  gospel 
say,  "  If  the  Son  set  you  at  liberty,  then  are  ye  free  indeed."  [Johnviii. 

Now  they,   whom  the  Lord  delivereth,  are  bond-slaves :  i^^'o"  ""~y 

•^  '  '  'be  that 

wherefore  he  doth  deliver  them  from  bondage,  and  doth  Sat'iiucny. 
incorporate  them  in  the  Hberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  He  doth 
set  all  bond-servants  at  liberty,  excluding  none  but  such  as 
do  by  their  own  default,  their  own  unbelief  and  disobedience, 
exclude  themselves.  For  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God  was 
to  set  all  such  at  liberty  as  were  entangled  in  bondage. 
Therefore  he  doth  so  far  forth  deliver  us,  as  we  are  bond-ser- 
vants. For  bondage  and  liberty  are  one  opposed  and  contrary 
to  the  other,  so  that  without  the  consideration  of  the  one  we 
cannot  conceive  the  meaning  of  the  other.  Wherefore  I  think 
it  best  here  to  speak  so  much  of  bondage  as  this  present  argu- 
ment shall  seem  to  require. 

First,  bondage  is  nothing  else  but  the  state  or  condition  what  i.,)na- 
wherein  bond-servants  be.  Now  those  that  are  in  bondage  are" 
either  bondmen  born,  or  else  made  bond-servants.  The  chil- 
dren that  issue  of  bond-servants  are  bond-slaves  born.  The 
other,  that  arc  made  bond-servants,  are  so  made  either  by 
captivity,  whereupon  they  take  their  names,  and  are  called 
captives ;    for  Pomponius    saith,    Slaves   were  thereupon   so 

[■<  a  qua  ro,  Lat.]  [■''  exiiibetur,  Lat.] 

['■'  Jesus  Christ,  not  in  Lat.] 


302  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [sERM. 

called,  because  the  captains  commanded  to  sell  them  for  money, 
when  they  were  in  wars  taken  captives  by  their  soldiers ;  and 
so  by  that  means  to  spare  their  life  and  save  them :  these 
bondmen  are  in  Latin  also  called  Mancipia,  eo  quod  ah  Jiosti- 
hus  manu  caperentur,  because  they  were  taken  prisoners  by 
the  hand  of  their  enemies :  or  else  they  are  made  bondslaves 
by  the  civil  law ;  as  when  a  freeman,  above  twenty  years  of 
age,  doth  for  lucre  sake  suffer  himself  to  be  sold  for  money'. 
Bondmen  therefore  have  lost  all  liberty,  and  do  wholly 
hang  upon  their  masters'  government,  in  whose  power  it  lieth 
to  kill  them  if  they  list. 
Two  sorts  of  Now  of  bondage  there  are  two  sorts;   the  politic",  and 

Bodily  "       the  spiritual.     The  politic  bondage  is  not  by  grace  and  the 
°"  ^^^'      preaching  of  the  gospel  taken  out  of  the  church  of  the  faith- 
ful, so  that  there  should  be  no  bondmen  at  all,  or  that  they 
should  not  do  their  duty,  or  not  do  the  service  that  of  right 
ncor.  vii.     they  do  owe.      For  the  apostle  Paul  saith  :  "Let  every  man 
walk  according  as  he   is   called^.      And  so  ordain  I  in   all 
churches.      Art  thou  called  being  a  servant?    care  not  for 
•     it :  but  yet  if  thou  mayest  be  free,  use  it  rather."    And  again : 
LKph- vi.       "Servants,   obey  them  that  are  your   bodily    masters  with 
fear  and  trembling  and  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  Christ ; 
not  with  eye-service,  as  men-pleasers ;  but  as  the  servants  of 
Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart ;  with  good  will 
serving  the  Lord,  and  not  men ;  knowing  that  whatsoever 
good  thing  any  man  doth,  that  shall  he  receive  again  of  the 
Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free."     And  in  his  epistle  to 
Timothy  he  saith:  "Let  as  many  servants  as  are  under  the 
yoke  count  their  masters  worthy  of  all  honour,  that  the  name 
of  God  and  his  doctrine  be  not  blasphemed.     And  they  which 
have  believing  masters,  despise  them  not,  because  they  are 
brethren  ;  but  rather  do  service,  forasmuch  as  they  are  believ- 

\}  Servi  autem  ex  eo  appellati  sunt,  quod  Imperatores  captivos 
vendere,  ac  por  hoc  sei'vare  nee  occidere  solent:  qui  ci'vAxn  mandpia 
dicti  sunt,  eo  quod  ab  liostibus  manu  capiuntur.  Servi  autem  aut 
nascuntur,  aut  fiunt:  nascuntuv  ex  ancillis  nostris;  fiunt  autem  jure 
gentium,  i.  e.  ex  captivitatc ;  aut  jure  civili,  cum  liber  homo  major 
20  annis  ad  pretium  participandum  sese  venundari  passus  est. — Corp. 
Jur.  Civil.  Par.  1G28,  Tom.  i.  p.  t),  Instit.  Lib.  I.  tit.  3,  do  jure  pcr- 
sonarum.] 

[2  sive  civilis,  Lat.] 

[3  ut  Yocavit  eum  Dominus,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF    CHRISTIAX    LIBERTY,     WORKS,     AND     MERITS.  303 

ing  and  beloved,  and  such  as  are  partakers  of  the  benefit '*," 

And  yet  in  this  bondage  the  faithful  have  this  comfort  by  the 

preaching  of  the  gospel,  that  howsoever  they  be  bond  in  body, 

yet  they  are  free  in  mind  and  soul.     For  the  apostle  again  a  paradox 

doth  say:  "lie  that  is  called  a  bondman  in  the  Lord  is  thencor.  vii. 

Lord's  freeman ;    likewise  he  that  is  called  free  is  bond  to 

Christ." 

This  is  a  comfort  to  the  faithful  in  all  their  afflictions,  which 
know  that  their  spirit  is  safe  and  free,  howsoever  their  body 
is  straitly  imprisoned  or  sharply  tormented.  Therefore  the 
saints  are  at  their  liberty,  although  they  be  never  so  narrowly 
looked  to  and  shut  up  in  custody ;  they  arc  victorers  and  van- 
quishers, howsoever  they  are  bound  and  oppressed ;  finally, 
they  enjoy  most  exquisite  pleasures  even  then  when  they  are 
vexed  ^  with  most  infinite  evils.  I  know  that  the  children  of 
this  world  do  mock  and  scoff  at  these  pleasures  and  liberty  of 
the  faithful  believers,  as  though  they  were  mere  dreams  and 
fantasies  of  very  fools  and  asses:  but  God^  doth  soundly  pay 
them  home  for  their  scoffs  and  mockery,  not  in  the  world  to 
come  only,  but  also  in  this  present  life;  while  they  themselves, 
like  miserable  caitifts,  being  in  extreme  captivity,  do  notwith- 
standing even  in  that  slavery'^  think  themselves  at  liberty  and 
in  most  absolute  felicity.  For  they  serve  a  filthy  service  in 
detestable  slavery,  making  themselves  bondmen  to  abominable 
whoredom,  to  beastly  mad  drunkenness,  to  the  wicked  mam- 
mon^  and  to  other  most  vile  pleasures,  wherein  they  die  and 
rot  with  endless  shame  and  infamy.  But  of  the  service  and 
afflictions  of  the  saints,  who  do  even  in  their  afflictions  enjoy 
their  liberty  and  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  the  apostle  Paul  speaketh 
where  he  saith :  "We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  are  we 
not  made  pensive ;  we  are  in  poverty  ^,  but  not  in  extreme 
poverty ;  we  suffer  persecution,  but  are  not  utterly  forsaken 
therein  ;  we  are  cast  down,  but  wc  perish  not;  bearing  about 

[*  1  Tim.  vi.  1,  2,  et  qui  bcneficia  rcpcndere  possunt,  Lat.] 

[5  accrbissimo,  Lat.] 

[6  justo  judici,  Lat.  omitted  ;  the  righteous  judge.] 

[^  Rather,  inasmuch  as  they  are  in  most  extreme  captivity  and 
thrice  miserable,  even  then  when  they  think  tlicmselves  most  at  liberty, 
&c.] 

[8  Luke  xvi.  9;  mammona!  iniquitatis,  Lat.  and  Vulg.] 

[9  laboramus,  Lat.] 


Spiritual 
bondage. 


304  THE   THIRD   DECADE.  [sERM. 

always  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  Hfe 
,  of  Jesus  might  also  appear  in  our  body^"  And  again:  "In 
all  things  we  do  our  endeavour  to  shew  ourselves  as  doth 
become  the  ministers  of  Christ ;  in  much  suffering,  in  afflic- 
tions in  necessities,  in  sorrows,  in  stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in 
seditions,  in  labours,  in  watchings,  in  fastings  ;  in  glory  and 
ignominy,  in  reproaches ^  and  praises ;  as  deceivers,  and  yet 
speakers  of  truth ;  as  unknown,  and  yet  known ;  as  dying, 
and  lo,  we  live ;  as  chastened,  and  not  killed ;  as  sorrowful, 
and  yet  always  rejoicing;  as  poor,  and  yet  making  many  rich; 
as  having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things."  Lo,  here 
ye  see  how  the  saints  in  extreme  servitude  have  a  cheerful 
consolation  and  are  always  at  their  liberty  :  as  is  to  be  seen 
by  infinite  examples  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  other 
ecclesiastical  histories. 

Now  we  come  to  the  second  part  of  bondage.  The 
spiritual  bondage  hath  a  certain  likeness  to  the  bodily  ser- 
vitude. For  Adam  by  his  own  fault  became  a  bondman;  and 
we  of  him  are  all  born  bondmen''.  He  was  once  at  liberty, 
and  had  the  Lord  to  be  his  friend  and  favourer'*;  but  he 
did  disloyally  revolt  from  God,  and  got  himself  another 
master,  the  devil,  a  tyrant  as  cruel  as  may  be,  who  for  his 
sin  having  gotten  power  over  him  did,  like  a  merciless  lord, 
miserably  handle  him  like  a  bond-servant.  Now  we  of  our 
corrupt  grandsire  are  born  corrupt  and  sinners,  and  for  our 
sin  are  also  under  the  devil's  dominion  ;  we  are  in  danger  of* 
the  law,  and  of  the  curse  thereof:  for  we  are  the  bond-slaves 
of  sin  ;  we  are  made  subject  to  sundry  calamities  by  reason 
of  our  sin.  This  therefore  is  called  the  spiritual  bondage,  not 
because  it  is  only  in  the  mind  of  man,  but  because  of  the  op- 
position whereby  it  is  opposed  to  the  bodily  bondage**.  For 
otherwise  sin  hath  made  our  body  also  subject  to  the  curse : 
neither  do  Ave  sin  in  mind  alone,  but  in  the  body  also ;  for 
every  part  and  all  the  members  of  our  bodies  are  subject  unto 

[1  2  Cor.  iv.  S — 10,  in   nostra  mortali  carnc,  Lat. ;  in  our  mortal 
flesh:   as  in  verse  11.] 

[2  per  gloriam — per  convicia,  Lat.] 

[^  nasciniur  ex  servo  servi,  Lat.] 

[1  halmcrat  Dominuin  optimum  ct  clementissimum,  Lat,] 

[^  sul)jicimur,  Lat.    Tyndale's  Doct.  Treat,  cil.  P.  S.  p.  0,  n.  C] 

[G  civili  vcl  corporali,  Lat. :  to  civil  or  bodily.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,  AND   MERITS.  305 

sin,  and  infected  Tvith  iniquity.      Therefore  we  serve  in  most  Abortion  is 
miserable  bondajje,  while,  beinor  under  the  devil's  dominion,  ••»  woman  is 

O    '  '  o  '  before  her 

we  do  the  things  that  please  the  tlesh,  by  the  egging  on   of  }jj'^e^'^<^;^^ 
evil  aiFections,  to  the  bringing  forth  of  fruit,  or  rather  to  the '"^'^ '^'''''*- 
making   of  abortion  with  peril  of  our  lives,  to  the  devil,  our 
cruel  and  our  rigorous  master ;   for  this  verily  is  our  hardest 
and  most  lamentable  servitude  and  bondage. 

Now  on  the  other  side,  let  us  see  what  christian  liberty  The  spiritual 
is ;  that  is  to  say,  from  what,  and  how  far  forth,  the  Lord  i.'owfaV 'forth 
hath  made  us  free.  In  one  word  we  do  briefly  say,  that  free  by 
Christ  our  Lord  hath  delivered  us  from  a  grievous  bondage'; 
to  wit,  that  he  hath  so  far  forth  made  us  free,  as  we  by  sin^ 
were  slaves  and  bond-servants.  This  we  may  more  largely 
expound  and  say:  The  Son  of  God  came  into  this  world;  and, 
having  first  oppressed  the  tyranny  of  Satan  and  crushed  his 
head  by  his  death  and  passion,  he  hath  translated  us  into 
his  own  kingdom,  and  hath  made  himself  our  Lord  and  king. 
Secondarily,  he  hath  adopted  us  to  be  the  sons  of  God,  and 
with  his  blessing  took  away  the  bitter  curse  of  the  law ;  for 
he  took  away  all  sins,  and  purged  all  the  faithful  from  their 
iniquities.  Thirdly,  he  did  most  liberally  bestow  the  free 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  the  end  that  the  sons  of  God 
should  willingly  and  of  their  own  accord  submit  themselves 
to  the  will  of  God,  and  to  do  the  things  that  the  Lord  would 
have  them  :  for  the  hatred  of  the  law  doth  not  remain, 
although  the  weakness  of  the  flesh  abidcth  still.  Lastly,  the 
same  our  Lord  and  King  hath  taken  from  the  shoulders  of 
his  elect  the  burden  of  the  law,  the  types  and  figures,  with 
all  the  costs  belonging  to  the  same ;  and  hath  forbidden  us, 
being  once  set  at  liberty,  to  entangle  ourselves  again  with 
any  laws  and  traditions  of  men.  Of  all  this  being  laid  to- 
gether we  make  this  definition :  To  deliver  is  to  make  free,  christian 
and  to  set  at  liberty  from  bondage.  He  is  free,  or  manu-  '  "*" 
missed,  that,  being  delivered  from  bondage,  doth  enjoy  his 
liberty :  therefore  manumission,  or  liberty,  is  nothing  else 
but  the  state  of  him  that  is  made  free ;  the  commodity,  I  say, 
which  a  free-made  man  hath  received  and  doth  enjoy  by 
reason  of  his  deliverance ;  to  wit,  in  that  he,  being  delivered 
from  the  tyranny  of  Satan,  from  sin,  from  the  curse  of  the 

['  a  gravi  ilia  servitute,  Lat. ;  from  that  grievous  bondage.] 
[8  by  sin,  not  in  Lat.] 
r  1  .20 

[hulling  ER,     II.  J 


liberty  by. 


306  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

law,  and  from  death,  is  made  the  son  of  God  and  heir  of 
everlasting  life ;  and  also  that  he  hath  received  the  Spirit  of 
liberty,  by  which  he  doth  wholly  give  himself  to  be  the  ser- 
vant of  God,  to  do  him  service  all  his  life  long ;  and  lastly, 
that,  being  delivered  from  the  law  of  Moses  and  from  all 
mortal  men^,  he  doth  altogether  depend  upon  the  gospel 
only,  having  at  liberty  free  use  of  external  things,  as  of 
meat,  of  drink,  of  clothing,  and  of  such  like  indifferent 
things :  and  in  these  three  last  rehearsed  points  doth  chris- 
tian hberty  chiefly  consist. 
Testimonies  Now  to  this  I  will  add  such  testimonies   of  scripture  as 

christian  shall  both  better  confirm  and  more  plainly  declare  my  ex- 
position. And,  first  of  all,  I  will  allege  those  testimonies 
which  are  to  be  found  in  the  books  of  the  holy  evangelists; 
and  then  those  that  are  extant  in  the  writings  of  the  apostles. 
Zacharias  the  priest,  and  father  of  John  Baptist,  in  his 
hymn  of  thanksgiving,  Luke  i.  doth  declare  the  truth  and 
goodness  of  God  in  performing  that  to  us  which  he  promised 
to  our  forefathers ;  to  wit,  "  That  we,  being  delivered  out  of 
the  hands  of  our  enemies,  might  serve  him  without  fear  in 
holiness  and  righteousness  before  him  all  the  days  of  our 
life."  In  this  testimony  of  his  we  have  the  true  liberty  ;  that 
freedom,  I  mean,  wherein  we,  being  by  the  Lord  delivered 
from  all  our  enemies,  both  visible  and  invisible,  should  no 
longer  serve  them  with  fear,  but^  serve  our  God^  in  joy  and 
gladness.  There  is  added  also  the  manner  and  order  how 
to  serve  him ;  "  in  hohness  and  righteousness."  Holiness 
doth  cut  off  and  cast  away  all  uncleanness  and  inconveniency^: 
righteousness  giveth  to  every  man  that  which  is  due,  to  wit, 
the  things  which  we  of  duty  do  owe  to  every  man,  and  doth 
contain  in  it  both  freedom  and  benevolence.  And  in  this 
kind  of  service  do  they,  which  are  made  free,  serve  the  Lord 
their  God,  not  for  a  day  or  two,  or  a  certain  few  years,  but 
all  the  days  of  their  life.  Therefore  true  christian  liberty 
is  the  perpetual  service  which  we  owe  and  do  to  God. 

In  the  eighth  chapter  of  St  John's  gospel,  to  the  Jews 

[1  ab  omnibus  hominum  legibus,  Lat. ;  from  all  laws  of  mortal  men, 
ed.  1677.] 

[2  citra  timorem,  Lat. ;  without  fear.] 

[3  ipsi  Deo,  Lat. ;  God  himself.] 

[•*  intemperantiam,  Lat.;  incontincney,cd.  1577.] 


IX.]  OF  CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND  MERITS.  307 

which  made  great  brags  of  the  vain  and  silly  liberty  which 
they  received  of  their  ancestors,  Christ  our  Lord  maketh  this 
objection:  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  whosoever  John  viu. 
committeth  sin,  he  is  the  servant  of  sin.  And  the  servant 
abideth  not  in  the  house  for  ever ;  but  the  Son  abideth  for 
ever  :  if  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free,  then  are 
ye  free  indeed."  In  these  words  he^  maketh  mention  both 
of  bondage  and  of  liberty.  He  is  a  bondman  to  sin,  as  to 
a  cruel  master  or  a  never-contented  tyrant,  whosoever  doth 
commit  any  sin ;  for  he  doth  obey,  as  one  that  is  bound  to 
sin.  Such  bondmen  are  all  the  sons  of  men  ;  whose  punish- 
ment is^  to  have  none  inheritance  in  their  Father's  house, 
which  is  the  heavenly  Hierusalem'^.  As  for  those  which  the 
Son  of  God  restoreth  to  freedom,  they  are  partakers  of  the 
heavenly  kingdom  and  fellow-heirs  with  the  Son  of  God, 
But  Christ  maketh  none  free  but  them  that  are  faithful^: 
therefore  the  sons  of  God  and  fellow-heirs  of  Christ  are 
for  Christ  his  sake  their  only  deliverer  made  free  and  set 
at  liberty.  Neither  is  there  any  other  in  heaven  or  in  earth, 
beside  Christ  Jesu,  which  is  able  to  set  us  at  freedom  and  at 
liberty. 

Paul  in  the  sixth  chapter  to  the  llomans  saith  :  "  Let  Rom.  vi. 
not  sin  reign  in  your  mortal  bodies,  that  ye  should  there- 
unto obey  by  the  lusts  of  it^ ;  neither  give  ye  your  members 
as  instruments'^  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin  ;  but  give  your- 
selves unto  God,  as  they  that  are  alive  from  the  dead,  and 
your  members  as  instruments'*'  of  righteousness  unto  God, 
For  sin  shall  not  have  power  over  you ;  because  ye  are  not 
under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  In  these  words  he  ex- 
horteth  them  that  are  purged  and  made  free  by  Christ  to 
live  holily  in  their  spiritual  bondage.  Now  he  saith  not, 
Let  not  sin  be  in  you,  or  in  your  mortal  body  :  but  he  saith, 
"Let  not  sin  reign  in  you,  or  in  your  mortal  body."  But  when 
reigneth  sin  ?     Forsooth  sin  reigneth  then,  when  we  obey 

[5  Dominus,  Lat.] 

[6  id  supplicii  conjunctum,  imo  irrogatum  liabentes,  Lat. ;  whoso 
punishment  is  adjoined,  nay  imposed.] 

l"!  in  ccelesti  utique  patria,  Lat. ;  which  is  the  heavenly  country.] 

[8  credentes,  Lat. ;  believers.] 

[9  ut  obediatis  ei  per  cupiditates  ejus,  Lat.  and  Erasmus.     That  yo 
shulde  ther  unto  obejr  by  the  lustcs  of  it.     Cranmer,  153y.] 

[10  arma,  Lat.] 

20 — 2 


308  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

it  through  the  lusts  thereof;  that  is,  when  we  resist  not,  but 
do  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  Sin  therefore  doth  not  reign 
in  our  mortal  body,  so  long  as  it  is  but  felt  in  the  body 
and  not  obeyed  or  permitted  to  rule,  but  rather  resisted  and 
trod  under  foot^  The  same  sentence  doth  he  expound  by 
another  somewhat  more  easy  to  be  understood  :  I  would  not 
have  you  to  permit  your  members  to  sin,  as  to  a  tyrant,  to 
use  them  as  instruments  to  work  all  unrighteousness :  I 
rather  require  you  to  give  yourselves  to  be  ruled  and  go- 
verned by  God.  For  since  he  hath  set  you  free  from  death 
and  brought  you  to  life  again,  it  is  requisite^  that  ye  should 
give  your  members  to  God,  as  lively  instruments,  to  work  all 
righteousness.  And  that  shall  ye  be  easily  able  to  do,  be- 
cause "ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace." 

Upon  this  doth  all  the  rest  of  that  chapter  depend  ^  unto 
the  end.  "What  then?"  saith  he;  "shall  we  sin,  because 
we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace?  God  forbid. 
Know  ye  not,  how  that  to  whomsoever  ye  commit  yourselves 
as  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey  ; 
whether  it  be  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  right- 
eousness ?  But  God  be  thanked,  that  ye  were  the  servants  of 
sin,  but  ye  have  obeyed  with  heart  the  form  of  doctrine  into 
the  which  ye  are  brought  unto*.  Being  then  made  free  from 
sin,  ye  are  become  the  servants  of  righteousness."  And  yet 
he  sheweth,  that  the  freemen  of  Christ  do  not  abuse  their 
liberty,  and  give  themselves  again  to  be  governed  by  their 
old  and  tyrannous  master  sin :  for  he  maketh  sin  and  right- 
eousness to  be,  as  it  were,  two  masters ;  and  addeth  to  each 
of  them  the  hire,  or  reward,  that  they  give  to  their  servants ; 
the  one  life,  the  other  death.  Lastly,  he  saith  generally,  that 
we  are  his  servants  to  whom  we  give  ourselves  to  obey. 
Upon  which  he  inferreth  :  "  Being  redeemed  by  the  grace  of 
God  from  the  bondage  of  sin,  and  from  death  which  is  the 
reward  of  sin,  we  are  translated  into  the  bondage  of  right- 
eousness, (whose  reward  is  life^)  that  thereby  we  may  live." 

[1  quin  calcantur  niagis  cupiditates,  Lat.] 

[2  fcquum  est,  Lat. ;  it  is  just.]  [^  hue  pertinent,  Lat.] 

[■*  in  cam  in  quam  traducti  estis  formam  doctrina?,  Lat.  and  Eras- 
mus :  unto  the  rule  of  the  doctrine  that  ye  be  brought  unto,  Cranuier, 
1539;  whereto  ye  were  delivered,  Marg.  Auth.  V.er.] 

[•''  whose — life,  not  in  Lat.] 


IX  ]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  300 

For  he  doth  more  significantly  express  his  meaning  in  that 
which  followeth,  saying :  "  I  speak  after  the  manner  of  men, 
because  of  the  infirmity  of  your  flesh.  As  ye  liave  given  your 
members  servants  to  uncleanness  and  iniquity  unto  iniquity  ; 
even  so  now  give  your  members  servants  to  righteousness  unto 
hohness.  For  when  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free 
from  righteousness.  What  fruit  had  ye  then  in  those  things, 
whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed  ?  for  the  end  of  those  things  is 
death.  But  now  ye,  being  made  free  from  sin  and  made  the 
servants  of  God,  have  your  fruit  unto  hohness,  and  the  end 
everlasting  life.  For  the  reward  of  sin  is  death ;  but  the 
gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  All 
this  is  so  plain  and  evident,  that  it  needeth  no  larger  exposition 
of  mine. 

And  yet  in  the  seventh  chapter  next  following  he  doth 
by  comparison  in  a  parable  more  fully  expound  all  that  he 
said  before.  "  The  woman,"  saith  he,  "  which  is  in  subjection 
to  the  man,  is  by  the  law  bound  to  the  man  as  long  as  he 
liveth.  If,  while  the  man  liveth,  she  go  aside  to  another,  she 
is  counted  an  adulteress ;  but  if  the  man  be  dead,  she  may 
couple  herself  with  another  man.  Even  so,  I  say,  we  are 
dead  to  the  law."  For  Christ  died  for  us,  and  was  in  his 
body  oftered  up  to  be  a  sacrifice,  or  oblation,  to  cleanse  and 
purge  our  sins,  that  we  might  thenceforth  be  united  and 
coupled  to  him  ;  and  that  we,  being  conceived  and  made  with 
child"  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  may  travail,  bring  forth,  and  be 
delivered  of  an  excellent  issue  and  holy  fruit  of  good  works  : 
even  as,  while  we  served  sin,  and  were  subject  unto  it  as  to 
our  master,  we  brought  forth  an  ill-favoured  babe  of  death  ; 
I  mean,  iniquity  and  wickedness,  for  the  punishing  whereof 
death  is  appointed  and  ordained.  But  let  us  now  hear  the 
very  words  of  the  holy  and  blessed  apostle,  sajing  :  "  Even 
so,  my  brethren,  we  also"  are  dead  concerning  the  law^  by 
the  body  of  Christ,  that  we  should  be  coupled  to  another^, 
who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit 
unto  God.  For  when  we  were  in  the  flesh,  the  lusts  of  sin  "', 
which  were  by  the  law,  wrought  in  our  members  to  bring 
forth  fruit  unto  death.     But  now  are  we  delivered  from  the 

[*5  imprregnati,  Lat.]  [7  vos  quoquc,  Lat. ;   ye  also.] 

[8  legi,  Lat.;   to  the  law  ]      [o  nimirum  ci,  Lat. ;  even  to  him.] 

[10  efFectus  peccatorum,  Lat] 


310  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

law,  and  dead  unto  it,  whereunto  we  were  in  bondage^;  that 
we  may  serve  in  newness  of  spirit,  and  not  in  the  oldness  of 
the  letter." 

That  place  in  the  eighth  chapter  to  the  Romans  is  un- 

Bom.  vui.  known  to  no  man,  where  he  saith  :  "  The  law  of  the  spirit  of 
life  through  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of 
Bin  and  death."  The  manner  of  this  deliverance  he  doth  im- 
mediately after  add,  saying  :  "  For  what  the  law  could  not  do, 
that  God  did  by  sending  his  own  Son:"  and  so  forth  as 
followeth :  for  the  words  are  sufficiently  plain,  and  under- 
stood of  all  men  2. 

icor.  vii.  In  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  first  epistle  to  the  Corin- 

thians he  saith :  "  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price ;  do  not  ye 
become  the  servants  of  men."  In  these  words  the  holy  apostle 
exhorteth  servants  under  the  colour  or  pretence  of  worldly^ 
bondage  not  to  commit  anything  for  their  earthly  masters'* 
pleasure,  which  soundeth  against  sincerity  and  is  repugnant 
to  pure  religion  :  to  wit,  although  "^  they  be  called  by  the 
name  of  servants,  yet  they  should  not  obey  the  wicked  laws 
and  ungodly  ordinances  of  mortal  men.  The  cause  that 
ought  to  pull  and  draw  us  from  it- is,  because  we  are  re- 
deemed and  set  at  hberty  by  the  price  of  Christ  his  blood. 
It  would  therefore  be  too  too  bad  and  unvt^orthy  a  thing,  if  we, 
contrary  to  the  effect  of  our  liberty,  should  obey  the  naughty 
laws  and  ordinances  of  man. 

Free  from  This  also  is  extended  and  stretcheth  out  to  the  laws  of 

ordinances  mcn  wliich  are  made  in  matters  of  religion.  For  in  the 
fifteenth   chapter  of  the  holy  gospel  written  by  the  evangelist 

Matt. XV.  St  Matthew  the  Lord  and  Saviour  saith,  "In  vain  do  they 
worship  me,  teaching  doctrines  the  precepts  of  men;"  and, 
"  Let  them  alone  :  they  are  blind  leaders  of  the  blind."     And 

[Col.  ii.  20-  the  apostle  St  Paul  saith  :  "  If  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from 
the  rudiments  of  the  world,  why,  as  yet  living  in  the  world, 
are  ye  led^  with  traditions,  (Touch  not;  taste  not;  handle 
not ;  which  all  do  perish  in  abusing^,)  after  the  commandments 
[1  So  Cranmcr,  1539;  and  marginal  reading  of  Autli.  Ver.,  being 
dead  to  that  wherein  we  were  hckl.  Bullinger  adopts  Erasmus'  ren- 
dering ;  mortui  ei  in  quo  detinebamur.] 

[2  notissima  sunt  omnibus,  Lat.]  [3  vel  civilis,  liat. ;  or  civil.] 

[4  quia,  Lat.  ;  because.]  [^  tenemini,  Lat. ;  are  ye  bound.] 

[<5  quro  sunt  omnia  in  corruptionem  ipso  abusu,  Lat.,  after  Erasmus : 
•whych  all  perysho  thorow  the  very  abuse,  Cranmer,  1539.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  311 

and  doctrines  of  men  ?  Which  things  have  a  shew  of  wisdom 
in  superstition  and  humbleness  of  mind,  and  in  neglecting  of 
the  body  ;  not  in  any  honour  to  the  satisfying  of  the  flesh." 
First  of  all  he  shcweth,  that  the  faithful  ones  of  Christ  Jesu 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  decrees  of  man's  inventions,  and 
that  they  are  not  bound  to  observe  men's  traditions,  because 
they  are  dead  to  traditions  with  Christ ;  that  is  to  say,  they 
are  by  Christ  Jesu'  redeemed  and  set  free  from  traditions; 
which  traditions  did  in  Christ  his  death  finish  and  come  to  an 
end,  while  he  did  make  us  his  own,  and  set  us  at  liberty. 
Then  also  he  doth  by  imitation  counterfeit  the  words  of  them 
which  make  those  decrees^  and  say,  "  Oh,  touch  not,  taste 
not,  handle  not." 

These  three  precepts  stretch  very  far,  and  comprehend 
many  petit  decrees ;  all  which  he  doth  immediately  con- 
fute with  these  probable  arguments.  First,  because  they 
appoint  the  worship  of  God  to  be  in  things  that  perish 
in  the  use  thereof;  but  the  kingdom  of  God  is  neither  meat 
nor  drink,  but  doth  consist  in  spiritual  things ;  and  that 
which  cntereth  in  by  the  mouth  doth  not  defile  the  man. 
Secondarily,  because  they  are  Qot  made  of  God,  the  author 
of  all  goodness ;  but  have  their  beginning  of  man's  inven- 
tions:  "  But  in  vain  do  they  worship  me,"  saith  the  Lord  in  [Mattxv.9.] 
the  gospel,  "  teaching  doctrines  the  precepts  of  men."  Neither 
doth  the  holy  apostle  St  Paul  wink  at  and  slily  pass  over, 
because  he  will  not  answer  to^  the  things  which  do  most 
commend  these  traditions.     First  of  all,  they  are  commended  For  what  it 

''    .      ,  is  that  men  s 

for  the  shew  and  appearance  of  wisdom  that  is  in  them ;  for  ^onj',""^/''^ 
they  seem  to  have  been  not  without  great  wisdom  ordained  of  commended, 
wise  men,  in  that  they  do  so  fitly  serve  to  every  person,  time, 
and  place.    The  earnest  defenders  of  men's  traditions  cry  out, 
and  say  :   Our  ancestors  were  no  fools,  their  laws  are  full  of 
wisdom.      But  Jeremy  cricth  out  on  the  other  side,  saying  : 
"  They  have  rejected  the  word  of  God  ;  therefore  what  wisdom  CJ".  viii.  s.j 
can  be  in  them  ? "     Another  cause  why   traditions  are  com- 
mended is  the  Greeks'  iOeXoOijrjo-Ke'ia  ;  that  is  to  say,  a  chosen 

[7  per  mortem  Christi,  Lat.] 

[8  qualia  sint  ilia  dccrcta  commcmorat  per  Mimesim,  Lat. :  fjufi^- 
TIK03S  subjungit ;  Bulling.  Comment,  in  loc] 
[9  because — answer  to,  not  in  Lat.] 


ly.] 


312  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

kind  of  worship',  which  we  of  our  own  brains  have  chosen,  and 
taken  ourselves  to  serve  and  do  God  worship  withal ;  for 
men  do  gladly  and  willingly  receive  the  traditions  of  men, 
because  they  are  agreeable  to  their  inclination^.     Yea,  Christ 

[John  XV.  in  the  holy  gospel  saith  ;  "  If  ye  had  been  of  the  world,  the 
world  would  have  loved  her  own :  now  for  because  I  have 
chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  the  world  doth  hate  you."  And 
again  he  saith :  "  That  which  men  set  such  store  by,  is  abo- 
minable unto  God^'."  Moreover  men's  traditions  are  com- 
mended for  humility  :  which  is  understood  in  two  manners  or 
respects.  For  first,  that  is  said  to  be  humility,  if  any  man 
do  readily  obey  and  easily  yield  to  that  which  is  urged, 
obtruded,  and  thrust  upon  him  by  men  of  countenance  and 
authority  :  secondarily,  the  laws  of  men  do  seem  to  exercise 
humbleness,  and  keep  men  in  humility.  But  such  obedience  and 
humility  may  rather  be  called  sacrilege,  because  it  is  not  ruled 
and  directed  by  the  word  of  God,  as  the  thing  whereby  alone  it 
should  be  tempered  and  squared,  but  doth  transfer  and  convey 
over  the  honour  of  God  from  God  to  men.  Last  of  all,  men's 
traditions  are  commended  for  the  neglecting  of  the  flesh  :  for, 
Oh,  that  discipline  and  chastisement  of  the  flesh  seemeth  to 
them  a  goodly  thing,  by  which  the  wantonness  of  the  flesh  is 
somewhat  bridled  and  tamed.  Finally  the  apostle  addeth, 
"  Not  in  any  honour  to  the  satisfying  of  the  flesh  :"  that  is  to 
say.  Which  things,  although  they  have  a  shew  of  religion- and 
holiness,  have  notwithstanding  in  very  deed  no  honour  at  all, 
considering  that  those  external  things  are  ordained  of  God  for 
the  ease  and  relief  of  men's  necessities.  Yea,  Paul  doth  flatly 
find  fault  with  those  decrees,  because  they  give  the  body  no 
honour  for  the  satisfying  of  the  same,  that  is,  according  to  the 
measure  of  the  body's  necessity.  For  a  moderate  care  and 
looking  to  the  body  is  not  only  permitted,  but  also  commanded, 
lest  we  perhaps  by  too  much  lack  and  nearness*  do  mar  the 
body,  and  make  it  unapt  to  do  good  works.  Neither  is  the 
care  of  the  flesh  in  any  place  forbidden^,  unless  it  tend  to 

Rom.  xiii.  lusts  and  sensuality.  Wherefore  the  apostle  saith,  "  Cherish 
not  the  flesh  unto  concupiscence."  Therefore  God  hath 
granted  to   man   for  his  necessity  the  use   of  meat,    drink, 

[I  Cultus  electitius,  Lat.]  [2  ingcnio  humano,  Lat.] 

[3  Luko  xvi.  15;  coram  Deo,  Lat.] 

[4  inedia,  Lat.]  p  simplicitcr,  Lat.  omitted  ;  in  itself.] 


The  care  of 
the  boLly. 


IX.]  OF   CnUISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WOUKS,   AND   MEKITS.  315 

sleep,  clothing,  rest,  allowable  pleasures,  ami  other  things 
necessary ''. 

In  the  fourth  chapter  to  the  Galatians  St  Paul  saith  : 
"  "When  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent  his  Son,  Gai.  iv. 
born  of  a  woman,  and  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them 
that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  by  adoption 
the  right  (or  inheritance^  of  children.  Now  because  ye  arc 
sons,  God  hath  sent  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts, 
crying,  Abba,  Father.  AVherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  ser- 
vant, but  a  son  :  if  thou  bo  a  son,  thou  art  also  an  heir  of 
God  through  Christ."  And  immediately  after  again:  "Stand 
fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  delivered  us,  and 
be  not  again  wrapped  in  the  yoke  of  bondage." 

In  the  second  to  the  Hebrews  he  saith  :  "  Christ  was  ucb.  u. 
made  partaker  of  flesh  and  blood  with  us,  to  the  end  that 
through  death  he  might  expel ^  him  that  had  lordship  over 
death,  that  is,  the  devil ;  and  that  he  might  deliver  them 
which  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  life  time  in  dano-er 
of^  bondage."  Thus  I  hope  these  testimonies  of  scripture 
suffice  for  our  purpose. 

These  things  being  well  weighed  and  throughly  consi-  The  estate. 
dered  will  plainly  teach,  what  kind  of  liberty  they  have  SrXty  of 
which  are  made  free  by  Christ,  and  what  their  property  and  arlTree  by 

....  .  ...  ,  Christ. 

inclmation  is ;  to  wit,  most  religious,  and  altogether  given  to 
holy  things;  that  is  to  say,  in  all  points  addicted  to  the  Spirit, 
without  which  there  is  no  liberty,  and  by  which  all  the  sons 
of  God  are  always  governed.  The  Lord's  freemen  do  most 
diligently  beware  that  they  do  unadvisedly  offend  no  man 
by  their  liberty,  nor  vainly  abuse  their  purchased  freedom  ; 
for  they  have  continually  before  their  minds  and  eyes  the 
weighty  sayings  of  the  holy  apostles  of  their  Lord  Christ 
Jesu.  St  Peter  in  the  second  chapter  of  his  first  Epistle 
saith'":  "As  free,  and  not  having  the  liberty  for  a  cloak  of 
maliciousness,  but  even  as  the  servants  of  God."     And  Paul 

[8  In  this  exposition  BuUingor  has  borrowed  literally  from  Calvin's 
Comment. ;  and  both  from  Erasmus'  Annotations,  in  loc.  cit.] 

[7  ut  adoptione  jus  filioruni  accipcrenius,  Lat.  and  Erasmus :  that 
we  thorow  elcccion  myght  receavc  the  inheritaunce  tliat  belongrth 
unto  the  natural!  sonncs.    Cranmor,  153U.] 

[8  abolcret,  Lat.]  [^  See  page  3(J7,  note  10.] 

[10  verso  16,  pra3tcxtuin  vel  vchuneu  habontcs  malitia?,  Lat  ] 


Tlie  abuses 
if  christian 


314  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

saith :  "  Brethren,  ye  have  been  called  unto  liberty ;  only 
let  not  liberty  be  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  but  by  love  serve 
one  another.  For  I,  when  I  am  free,  have  made  myself 
servant  to  all,  that  I  may  win  the  more^" 

They  therefore  do  specially  ^  abuse  christian  liberty,  who, 
libert'yr""'  soekiug  after  carnal  things  under  the  colour  and  pretence  of 
the  Spirit  and  of  liberty,  do  make  their  brags,  that  they 
by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  are  set  free  from  all  bodily 
debts  and  duties  :  and  therefore  they  do  deny  to  their  masters, 
creditors,  magistrates,  and  princes,  the  duty  that  they  owe 
them;  by  that  means  revolting  and  rebeUing  against  them^ 
These  fellows  are  seditious  stirrers,  and  not  the  reverencers 
[Bom.  xiii.  of  the  evangelical  doctrine.  Paul  crieth  :  "  Give  to  every 
one  that  which  is  due :  tribute  to  whom  tribute  belongeth ; 
custom  to  whom  custom  is  due ;  fear  to  whom  fear ;  and 
honour  to  whom  honour  doth  appertain.  Owe  nothing  to 
any  man,  but  this,  that  ye  love  one  another." 

Moreover  they  also  do  abuse  christian  liberty,  who, 
when  they  have  not*  received  the  Spirit  of  liberty  and  of 
the  sons  of  God,  when  they  are  not  as  yet  delivered  from 
Satan  nor  justified  by  Christ,  do  notwithstanding  promise 
liberty  to  all  men ;  and  think  that,  for  the  opinion  which 
they  have  conceived  of  their  liberty,  they  may  do  whatsoever 
it  pleaseth  them ;  by  that  means  gainsaying  good  laws  and 
severe  discipline  with  exclamations  and  outcries  that  liberty 
by  laws  is  entrapped,  betrayed,  and  trod  under  foot.  Against 
such,  and  especially  against  the  teachers  of  that  vain  and 
pernicious  liberty,  St  Peter  taketh  stomach,  and  saith : 
^2  Pet.  ii.  "  These  are  wells  without  water,  clouds  that  are  carried  with 
a  tempest ;  to  whom  the  mist  of  darkness  is  reserved  for 
ever.  For  when  they  have  spoken  the  great  swelHng  words 
of  vanity,  they  entice  through  lusts  in  the  voluptuousness  of 
the  flesh ^  such  as  were  clean  escaped  from  them  which  are 

[1  Gal.  V.  13;  1  Cor.  ix.  19;  liber  sim  ab  omnibus,  Lat. ;  when  I 
am  free  from  all.] 

[2  primum,  Lat. ;  in  the  first  place.] 

[3  Sec  BuUingcr,  adv.  Anabapt.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  2,  and  Hooker,  Eccles. 
Pol,  Pref.  Vol.  I.  p.  183,  Oxf.  1820.] 

[4  nondum,  Lat. ;  not  as  yet.] 

[5  inescant  homines  per  concupiscentias  carnis  voluptatibus,  Lat. 
and  Erasmus :  they  entyse  thorow  lustcs  in  the  volupteousnes  of  the 
flcssh.    Cranmer,  1539.] 


!7-19.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  315 

wrapped  in  error,  while  they  promise  them  liberty ;  whereas 
they  themselves  are  the  bond-servants  of  corruption :  for  of 
whom  a  man  is  overcome,  into  the  same  is  he  brought  in 
bondage  :"  and  so  forth  as  followcth.  Now  when  men  do  Licenuou*. 
after  that  manner  abuse  liberty,  that  licentious  lust  is  not 
worthy  to  be  called  by  the  name  ^  of  liberty. 

Last  of  all,  they  do  abuse  christian  liberty,  whosoever 
do  abuse  things  indifferent,  and  have  no  regard  of  their  weak 
brethren,  but  do  offend  them  unadvisedly.  We  must  there- 
fore in  this  case  always  have  in  mind  this  notable  saying 
of  St  Paul :  "All  things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  all  things  [i  cor.vi.  12; 
are  not  expedient  :  all  things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  all ''' 
things  do  not  edify."  Touching  this  matter  there  is  more 
to  be  seen  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  St  Paul's  Epistle 
written  to  the  Romans. 

And  here  by  occasion,  yea,  rather  being  compelled  by  or  offences, 
necessity,  I  will  speak  a  little,  and  so  much  as  shall  be 
requisite  for  the  godly-disposed  to  know,  touching  offences. 
Scandalum,  which  word  the  Latins  borrow  of  the  Greeks, 
doth  signify  a  falling,  a  tripping,  a  stumbling-block,  an  offence, 
a  let  or  hinderancc :  such  as  are  stones  in  a  street  that  stick 
up  higher  than  the  rest,  or  gins  that  are  of  purpose  subtilly 
set  or  hid  to  snare  the  feet  of  them  that  pass  over  them  : 
for  they  which  do  either  light  on  or  stumble  at  them,  do 
fall,  or  else  are  turned  out  of  the  straight  path. 

Now  this  kind  of  snare  or  stumbling-block  is  by  a  meta- 
phor transferred  to  the  estate  of  religion  and  manners  of 
men.  For  he  giveth  an  offence,  whosoever  doth  with  over- 
thwart,  foolish,  or  unseasonable  words  or  deeds  either  do  or 
say  to  another  man  anything  whereby  he  taketh  an  occasion 
to  sin.  Therefore  scandalum  is  an  occasion  given  to  sin  and 
do  wickedly,  and  the  very  impulsion  or  driving  to  a  fall  or 
to  wickedness.  Other  there  are  that  do  define  scandalum 
to  be  an  offence  joined  with  a  contempt^ :  for  an  offence 
doth  usually  draw  a  contempt  with  it ;  or,  as  wo  may  say 
also,  an  offence  doth  rise  upon  a  contempt.  To  conclude 
therefore,  it  is  put  for  an  injury  offered  by  one  man  to 
another. 

[fi  sancto  vocabulo,  Lat. ;  the  sacred  name.] 

[7  So  Zuinglc  dofinos  it,  l)c  vera  ct  falsa  religione,  Comment,  p.  412, 
Tigur.  1525.] 


316  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

How  and  by  Now  WG  offcnd  Other  men  either  by  our  words,  or  else 

an  offence  bj  our  dcods.  Thc  oflfcnce  that  is  given  by  words  is  partly 
in  evil,  foolish,  and  unseasonable  doctrine,  and  partly  our 
daily  talk  or  communication.  The  greatest  offence  is  that 
which  doth  arise  of  wicked  doctrine,  directly  contrary  to  the 
true  doctrine  of  the  holy  gospel.  The  next  to  this  is  that 
offence  which  doth  arise  of  foolish  and  unseasonable  doctrine; 
which,  though  it  be  derived  out  of  the  word  of  God,  is  not- 
withstanding either  unaptly  uttered,  or  unwisely  applied. 
For  the  preacher  may  sin  either  by  too  much  suffering' 
or  lenity ;  or  else  by  too  much  sharpness  and  overthwart 
waywardness^,  so  that  the  hearers  being  offended  do  wholly 
draw  back  from  all  hearing  of  the  gospel.  And  yet,  for 
all  this,  the  light  of  the  gospel  must  not  be  hidden,  nor  the 
truth  slily  winked  at^,  because  men  will  be  offended ;  but 
preachers  must  with  all  their  diligence  take  heed  that  the 
word  of  God  be  wisely  set  forth  and  aptly  dispensed ^  What- 
soever things  are  against  the  laws  of  God,  those  must  most 
constantly  be  accused,  and  without  fear  most  diligently  con- 
futed, howsoever  the  world  and  worldlings  do  storm  against 
the  same. 

Now  they  do  by  their  daily  talk  cause  their  brethren 
to  stumble,  whosoever  let  their  tongues  run  loose  to  talk 
they  care  not  what;  and  at  their  pleasure,  without  advice, 
to  babble  they  care  not  how  :  of  which  sort  are  filthy  speech 
and  ribaldry,  but  especially  such  blasphemous  words  as  are 
unreverently  uttered  against  God,  the  holy  scriptures,  and 
articles  of»  our  faith  ;  for  evil  words  corrupt  good  manners. 
I  do  not  here  exclude  the  letters  or  writings  of  men  which 
do  unadvisedly  offend  their  brethren. 

Lastly,  stumbling-blocks  of  offence  are  laid  before  many 
men  either  by  promises  or  else  by  threatenings :  so  often, 
I  mean,  as  by  alluring  enticements  of  many  fair  promises, 
or  else  by  terrible  threats  and  torments,  they  are  turned 
from  the  right  path  of  truth  into  byways  and  errors ;  for 
Lxw'20'  ^^  ^^^  Pharao  lay  a  stone  of  offence  before  king  Zedechias, 
by  causing  him    to   make  a   league   with  him,   and  by  that 


Kzek.  xvii. 


[^  licontia,  Lat.] 

[2  niinia  niortlacitate  et  morositate,  Lat.] 

[•'  dissimulanda,  Lat.] 

[^  recto  secctur,  Lat.  :  2  Tim.  ii.  15.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  317 

means  to  trust  more  in  tlic  power  of  Egypt  than  in  tlio 
mighty  hand  of  God^.  Tyrants  do  oftentimes  give  weak 
Christians  causes  of  offence,  while  they  by  torments  drive 
them  to  deny  the  name  of  their  master  Christ. 

Now  the  deeds,  whereby  men  are  offended,  bo  of  two 
sorts  ;  that  is  to  say,  they  be  either  lawful  and  at  our  free 
choice,  or  else  unlawful  and  utterly  forbidden  us.  But  even 
lawful  deeds  are  by  abuse  made  unlawful.  For  it  is  lawful 
for  the  faithful  to  eat  what  they  lust :  for  to  the  clean  all 
things  are  clean.  But  thy  eating  is  made  unlawful,  if  thou 
dost  eat  with  the  offence  of  thy  weak  brother :  for  he  doth 
not  understand  that  it  is  lawful  to  eat  indifferently  every 
kind  of  thing ;  and  thou  knowest  very  well  that,  if  thou 
eatest,  he  will  be  offended ;  and  yet  notwithstanding  thou 
dost  eat  and  despise  him  :  assure  thyself  in  so  doing  thou 
givest  cause  of  offence,  and  sinnest  not  a  little  against  thy 
weak  brother.  To  this  wo  add  all  unseasonable  using  of 
free  things  and  indifferent. 

But  here  we  must  note,  that  the  doctors  of  the  church  do  weakUncs 

.  .  1    ^'"^  stubborn 

diligently  distinguish  and  make  a  difference  betwixt  weak  persons. 
brethren  and  stubborn  persons.  The  weaklings  are  such  as 
be  utterly  ignorant  in  some  points  of  religion ;  and  yet  not- 
withstanding are  tractable  enough,  and  fear  the  Lord;  not 
erring  of  purpose  with  malicious  overthwartness,  but  touched 
with  a  certain  weakness  of  faith  and  religion,  suffering  them- 
selves nevertheless  willingly  to  be  instructed.  Of  such  the  [Rom.  xiv. 
apostle  saith :  "  Him  that  is  weak  in  faith  receive  ye,  not  to 
strifes  of  disputations."  But  the  stubborn  and  obstinate  peo- 
ple are  they  which,  when  they  know  the  truth  and  liberty 
of  the  saints,  do  notwithstanding  harden  their  minds,  and 
set  themselves  against  the  truth  of  libert}''  which  they  know; 
desiring  to  have  much  granted  them,  and  every  man  to  bear 
with  them,  not  so  much  for  that  they  do  ever  mean  to  give 
place  to  the  truth,  as  to  the  end  that  by  this  occasion  once 
granted  them  they  may  at  last  subvert  the  truth  and  chris- 
tian liberty,  and  in  stead  thereof  set  up  their  trifles  and 
superstitious  vanities.  Of  such  men  the  Lord  speakcth  in  ^Mj"'-  ''^•• 
the  gospel,  saying:  "Let  them  alone;  they  be  blind  leaders 
of  the  blind."     And  Paul  in  the  second  chapter  to  the  Ga-  '^•'''-  "• 

[5  potentia;  et  liberationi  divinrc,  Lat.] 

[c  voritati  ot  libcrtati,  Lat.;  the  truth  and  liberty,  od.  1577.] 


given  and  an 

oftenee 

taken. 


318  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

latians  saith :  "Titus,  being  a  Greek,  was  not  circumcised, 
because  of  incomers,  being  false  brethren,  which  came  in 
privily  to  spy  out  our  liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ  Jesus, 
that  they  might  bring  us  into  bondage.  To  whom  not  so 
much  as  for  an  hour  we  gave  any  place  by  subjection ;  that 
the  truth  of  the  gospel  might  continue  with  you." 
An  offence  Moreovcr  to  tliis  place  is  to  be  referred  the  difference 

that  some  men  do  very  wisely  make  betwixt  the  giving  and 
the  taking  of  an  offence. 

An  offence  is  given  then,  when  by  thy  fault,  by  thy 
importunity,  I  say,  and  thy  lightness,  thou  either  doest  or 
sayest  a  thing  for  which  thy  brother  hath  a  cause  to  be 
offended '.  The  other  kind  of  offence  is  not  given,  but  taken 
or  picked  out,  not  by  thy  fault,  but  by  the  malice  or  wicked- 
ness of  another  man  :  as  for  example,  when  thou  dost  sin 
neither  in  word  nor  deed,  when  thy  deeds  are  nothing  inso- 
lent, nor  thy  words  unseasonable,  when  thou  either  sayest  or 
doest  the  thing  that  is  both  free  and  lawful  for  thee  to  say 
and  do  ;  and  yet  another  taketh  pepper  in  nose^  and  is  offend- 
ed with  that  liberty  of  thine  :  which  is  all  one,  as  if  a  man 
that  walketh  in  a  plain  path^  should  hap  to  trip  or  stumble, 
and  presently  quarrel  with  his  companion*,  as  though  he  had 
laid  a  block  in  his  way. 

Now  the  unlawful  and  forbidden  deeds  wherewith  men 
are  offended  do  tend  against  God  and  his  laws,  are  done  con- 
trary to  all  seemliness,  equity,  right,  and  reason,  and  stir  up 
others  to  imitate  the  like  revels  and  desire  of  ill  rule^ :  for 
such  are  idolatry,  murder,  whoredom,  covetousness,  pride,  and 
luxury.  So  did  the  wicked  king  Jeroboam  set  up  the  golden 
calves  to  be  a  stumbhng-block  unto  all  the  people  of  Israel. 
And  in  like  manner  do  many,  with  their  drunken  tippling 
and  overnice  bravery  in  gaudy  apparel,  not  only  offend 
others,  but  also  make  them  worse,  and  by  their  ill  example 
draw  them  into  hke  and  more  foolish  vanities. 

[1  merito,  Lat.] 

[2  This  proverbial  term  for  an  angry  person  (see  Ray's  Proverbs, 
pp.  140,  197.  Loud.  1817)  is  added  by  the  Translator.] 

[3  in  quo  nulla  positaest  offensio,  Lat.  omitted;  where  no  stumbling- 
block  has  been  laid.] 

[•1  The  mention  of  a  companion  is  an  addition  of  the  Translator's.] 

[6  ad  paria  studia  et  scelera,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF  CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,  AND   MERITS.  319 

Finally,  to  give  an  offence  is  a  very  great  sin  ;  as  the  to  Rive 
saying^  of  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  affirmeth.    For  in  Matthew  greatsin. 
he  saith:  "Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  offences.      It  must  «»». [xviu. 
needs  be  that  offences  come;  but  woe  to  the  man  by  whom  the 
offence  cometh !  AVhosoever  offcndeth  one  of  these  little  ones 
that  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone 
were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were  drowned  in 
the  depth  of  the  sea."  And  Paul  the  apostle,  speaking  to  the 
brethren  that  give  offence,  doth  say  :  "Through  thy  giving  of 
offence  perisheth  thy  brother  for  whom   Christ  died."      And 
again  :  "And  so  ye  sinning  against  your  brethren,  and  wound-  [icor.  viiu 
ing  their  weak  consciences,   do  sin  against  Christ  himself." 
But  what  can  be  devised  more  heinous  than  to  sin  against 
Christ?     Let  us  all  therefore  take  heed,  that  by  abusing 
christian  liberty  we  give  no  occasion  of  offence  to  the  'weak, 
but  always  do  the  things  that  do  belong  to  charity. 

Last  of  all,  we  must  especially  contirm  our  minds  against  onences  nse 

,  •  ,.      1  11  1    M  1  •  not  of  the 

the  enemies  oi  the  gospel,  who  cease  not  daily  to  lay  innu- Kospei,  butof 

,      ^  ./  </  the  enemies 

merable  heaps  of  offences  upon  the  preachers  and  zealous  of'^^^gosiiei. 
followers  of  the  evangelical  doctrine.  "Ye,"  say  they,  "are 
the  causes  of  all  the  broils,  seditions,  wars,  and  hurly-burlies, 
■wherewith  the  world  is  at  this  day  disquieted."  Against 
these  offensive  outcries,  I  say,  we  must  confirm  our  minds 
with  that  notable  saying  of  Christ  in  the  gospel :  "I  came  not  ^1^?- 
to  send  peace,  but  a  sword.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at 
variance  with  his  father,  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother, 
and  the  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law  :  and  a 
man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household."  Here  we 
must  call  to  remembrance,  and  lay  before  our  eyes,  the  nota- 
ble examples  of  the  prophets  and  apostles.  King  Achab  said 
to  Helias  the  prophet,  that  he  was  the  disturber  and  plague  of 
the  kingdom;  but  the  prophet  replieth,  that  not  he,  but  the  n  ^^j'"jR^  j^ ., 
king,  was  the  troubler  of  the  country.  The  rebellious  Jews 
objected  against  Jeremy,  that,  since  the  time  they  began  to 
leave  the  worship  of  their  (idol)  gods,  and  to  hearken  to  the 
preaching  of  the  word  of  God,  they  never  had  one  jot  of 
felicity,  but  that  mishaps  by  troops  fell  one  upon  another's 
neck.  To  which  objection  they  were  answered,  that  those  tj^^J^a']"' 
misfortunes  did  light  upon  them  because  of  their  sins,  and 
especially  for  their  rebellion  and  unthankfulness'  sake.  The 
[c  unica  sententia,  Lat.] 


6.] 

[1  Tliess. 
15,  IC] 


320  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

unbelieving  Jews  at  Thessalonica  cried  out  against  Paul  and 
[^Actsxvii.  Silas,  saying:  "These  fellows,  that  have  troubled  the  whole 
world,  are  come  hither  also."  But  Paul,  speaking  against 
the  Jews  his  enemies  and  persecutors,  said  :  "They,  as  they 
have  killed  the  Lord  Jesus  and  their  own  prophets,  so  do 
they  persecute  us:  they  please  not  God,  and  are  adversaries 
to  all  men ;  resisting  us  that  we  should  not  preach  the  gospel 
unto  the  Gentiles  to  their  salvation,  that  they  may  still  fulfil 
their  sins ;  and  so  at  last  the  endless^  anger  of  God  may  fall 
upon  them."  These  sayings  and  such  like  let  the  faithful 
think  upon  and  have  in  their  minds,  and  let  them  persevere 
still  with  constancy  and  patience  to  spread  abroad  the  doctrine 
of  the  gospel,  howsoever  the  world  doth  fret  and  cast  offences 
in  the  way.  And  thus  much  hitherto  touching  offences-, 
ofgomi  It  remaineth  now,   as  my  promise  in  the  beginning  was, 

to  say  somewhat  in  the  end  of  this  sermon  concerning  good 
works.  For  we  have  learned  that  christian  liberty  is  not 
licentiousness,  but  an  adoption  into  the  number  of  the  sons 
of  God,  which  do  bestow  all  their  life  upon  the  study  of 
godUness  and  virtues :  we  have  learned  that  the  law  of  God 
is  the  rule  and  doctrine  of  good  works :  the  course  of  order, 
therefore,  doth  now  require  to  have  somewhat  said  touching 
good  works. 
What  works  First  of  all,  let  us  determine  of  the  very  true  and  cer- 

the^smptVre.  taiu  signification  of  works,  because  the  word  is  used  diversly, 
and  is  of  ample  signification.  For  works  are  the  labours 
and  busy  exercises  of  men,  by  the  which  they  get  their 
livings  :  for  Paul  commandeth  every  man  to  work  with  his 
own  hands;  the  law  forbiddeth  us  to  do  any  work  on  the 
sabbath-day;  and  the  Israelites  were  oppressed  in  Egypt 
with  hard  and  wearisome  work  and  toil.  There  are  also 
workmen,  to  whom  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  commandeth  to 
pay  the  hire  that  is  their  due.  A  work  also  is  the  thing 
which  is  made  or  expressed  by  the  artificer  or  workman  ; 
f jer.  xviii.  for  the  prophet  Jeremy,  speaking  of  a  potter,  saith :  "  He 
made  a  work  upon  a  wheel."  Moreover  a  work  doth  sig- 
[2Tim.iv.     nify  an    office   or   duty;    for   Paul    saith,    "Do   the   work" 

[1  in  finom,  Lat.] 

[2  This  treatise  of  "offences"  is  transferred  by  Bullinger  from  his 
Comment,  in  Matt.  cap.  xviii.  Lib.  viii.  fol.  172,  Tiguri.  1542.  Cf. 
Calvin.  Instit.  Lib.  iii.  cap.  1!),  §  11,  12.] 


IX.]  or   CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND  MERITS.  321 

(meaning    the    office)    "of   an    evangelist:"    and   the   Holy 
Ghost,  speaking  in  the  church  at  Antioch,  saith,  "  Separate  [Aiti  xiii.  2.] 
me  Paul  and  Barnabas  for  the  work  whercunto  I  have  chosen 
them."      Furthermore,   the    works   of    the    Lord    are^    the 
mighty  deeds  of  God,  whereby   he  doth  declare  his  power 
and   goodness   unto   men :  and   in  that   signification    heaven, 
earth,  and  man  himself,  are  said  to  be  the  works  of  God's 
hands.      Works  also  are  the  benefits  of  God   bestowed  upon 
us  men ;  for  in  the  gospel  he  saith  :  "  I  have  shewed  you 
many  good  works  :"  (as  if  he   should  have  said,  I  have  done  tJo^n x. 32] 
you  many  good  turns^.)      There  are  also  evil  works,  I  mean 
works  of  iniquity :  whereupon  some  men  are  called  workers  ^^°'},^,'''y' 
of  iniquity,  whose  deeds  are*  the  works  of  the  flesh  and  of  ^•*"] 
darkness.      Again,   there  are  good   works,   I   mean  sundry 
virtues,  the  fruits  of  faith ;  of  which  sort  are  justice,  temper- 
ance,  charity,   patience,   hope,    &c.      For   the   Lord  in  the 
gospel  said  :    "  Let   your   light  so   shine   before  men,    that  [Matt.  v.  le. 
they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  the  Father  which 
is  in  heaven."      The   apostle  saith   that  we    are  made   for  l^v^-  "■  >fO 
good  works,  to   walk  in  them.      Those  same  are  called  the  [Matt-  iii  s. 
fruits  of  repentance,  and  works  worthy  of  repentance.    They  ^"O 
are  called  the  works  of  light ^,  and  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  [Gai.  v.  22.] 
The    same   are    the  works  of   humanity,    benevolence,    and 
charity :  such  are  commended  in  Tabitha,  which  is  read  to  [Acts  ix.  ae.] 
have  been  full  of  good   works.      Paul  saith  :   "  Let  us  work  [Cai.  vi.  10.] 
good,  while  we  have  time,  to  all ;  but  especially  to  them  of 
the  household  of  faith."      Such  a  like  work  of  humanity  and 
charity  did  Mary  bestow  upon  Christ  our  Saviour,  who  said:  rvatt. xxvi. 
*'  She  hath  wrought  a  good  work  on  me."      This  being  thus 
declared,  we  will  now  describe   good  works  in  their  colours 
and  qualities. 

Good  works   are   deeds,   or    actions,    wrought  of   those  Good  works, 
which  are  regenerate  by  the   Spirit'^   of  God,  through  faith,  rre" 
and  according  to  the  word  of  God,  to  the  glory  of  God,   the 

[3  vocantur,  Lat. ;  are  called.] 

[*  This  parenthesis  is  the  Translator's.] 

[5  illis  respondent,  Lat.] 

[^'  The  express  plirase,  ivorks  of  I'xjht,  docs  not  occur  in  Scripture; 
but  Buliinger  seems  to  refer  to  Kom.  xiii.  12;  for,  in  his  exposition  of 
that  passage,  he  says:  Ilic  palam  audimus — qua;  (sint)  opera  tcnc- 
brarura,  qu;c  lucis,  p.  lOG,  Tigur.  1537.] 

[">  spiritu  bono,  Lat. ;  by  the  good  Spirit] 

[BLLI.lNGElt,    II. J 


322  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

honesty^  of  life,  and  the  profit  of  our  neighbour.  This  brief 
description  I  will  prosecute  by  parts,  and  expound  so  well  as 
the  Lord  shall  give  me  grace. 

The  original  First,   I   wiU  hj    proof  shew   that  there  is   none   other 

works.  well-spring,  from  whence  good  works  do  flow,  than  God  him- 
self, which  is  the  author  of  all  good  things.  For  the  prophet 
saith  :  "  All  men  are  liars  ;  God  alone  doth  speak  the  truth^." 

™att.  xix.  And  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  saith :  "  None  is  good  but  God 
alone.'"  Good  works  therefore  must  have  their  beginning, 
not  of  man,  who  is  a  liar  and  corrupt,  but  of  God  himself, 
the  well-spring  of  all  goodness.  And  God  doth  by  his 
Spirit  and  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  renew  all  men,  so  that 
they,  being  once  regenerate,  do  no  longer  their  own,  that  is, 
the  works  of  the  flesh,  but  the  works  of  the  Spirit,  of  grace, 
and^  of  God  himself.  For  the  works  of  them  that  are  re- 
generate do  grow  up  by  the  good  Spirit  of  God  that  is 
within  them ;  which  Spirit,  even  as  the  sap  giveth  strength 
to  trees  to  bring  forth  fruit,  doth  in  hke  manner  cause  sundry 
virtues  to  bud  and  branch  out  of  us  men,  as  the  Lord  himself 

[John  XV.  4,  doth  in  the  gospel  testify,  and  say  :  "  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are 
the  branches.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself, 
unless  it  abide  in  the  vine ;  so  cannot  ye  also,  unless  ye 
abide  in  me.  Whosoever  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  he 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit :  for  without  me  ye  can  do  no- 
thing." To  the  same  cause  is  that  to  be  referred,  where  as'* 
we  say  that  a  good  work  is  done  by  faith.  For  faith  is  the 
gift  of  God,  whereby  we  lay  hold  on  Christ,  through  which 
we  are  both  justified  and  quickened ;  as  the  scripture  saith, 

rHab.  ii.  4.1  "  The  just  shall  live  by  his  faith."  And  in  another  place 
saith  Paul:  "By  faith  Christ  dwelleth  in  our  hearts^."    And 

[Gal.  ii.  20.]  again :  "  I  live ;  yet  now  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  :  and 
the  life  which  now  I  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of 
the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  mc,  and  gave  himself  for  me." 
Now  he  that  liveth  doth  the  works  of  life  through  him,  no 
doubt,  by  whom  he  is  quickened ;  and  he  that  is  justified 
doth  the  works  of  righteousness  through  him  that  justified 

[}  ornamentum  ct  lionestatem,  Lat.] 

[2  Ps.  cxvi.  11;  Rom,  iii.  4:  where  the  Vulgate  has,  est  Deus  verax ; 
Erasmus  renders,  sit.] 

[3  adeoque,  Lat. ;  and  so.]  ["*  cum  dicimus,  Lat.] 

[^5  Eph.  iii.  17;  in  cordibus  vcstris,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  323 

him  :  that  is,  the  righteous  do  through  Christ  work  rio-ht- 
eousness,  and  righteousness  containeth  the  whole  company  of 
virtues.  So  then  God  alone  remaincth  still  the  only  well- 
spring  and  author  of  good  works. 

But  let  us  now  see  the  testimonies  of  scripture,  by  which 
we  may  evidently  learn,  that  the  works  of  them  that  be  re- 
generate are  attributed   to  God  himself,   who   by   his  Spirit 
and  by   faith  doth   work  in   the  hearts  of  the  regenerate. 
Moses  testifieth,   saying:   "The  Lord  shall  bless  thee,  and  [Deutxxx. 
the  Lord  thy  God  shall  circumcise  thy  heart,  and  the  heart  ^'''■■' 
of  thy  seed,  that  thou  may  est  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  live." 
Lo,  here  the  cause  that  godly  men  do  rightly  love  the  Lord 
doth  proceed  of  the  circumcision  of  the  heart.     Now  who, 
I  pray   you,   doth  circumcise  the  heart  beside  the  Lord? 
The  prophet  Esay  doth    more  plainly    say :  *'  Thou,  Lord,  fuai.  xxvi. 
shalt  ordain  peace :  for  even  thou  hast  wrought  all  our  works  ^'^'-^ 
in  us."     In   the  gospel  after  St  John  our  Saviour   saith : 
*'  He  that  worketh  verity  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  works  John  nii.  21 ; 
may  be  seen,   because  they   are  wrought   by    God."     And 
again  :  "  Whosoever  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  he  bringcth 
forth  much  fruit ;  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."     Paul 
also  to  the  Philippians  saith:  "  To  you  it  is  given  for  Christ,  CPhii.i.29.] 
not  only  to  believe  in  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  him."     And 
yet  again  more  plainly  :  "  It  is  God  that  worketh  in  you 
both  to  will  and  to  do  according  to  the  good  purpose  of  the 
mind^."    Likewise  also  St  James  saith  :  "Every  good  giving  [James i.  17.] 
and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh   from  the 
Father    of  lights."     Moreover  St  Peter,    ascribing   all  the 
parts  of  good  works  to   God,  doth  say:  "The  God  of  all  [1  Pet.  v.  10.] 
grace,  who  hath  called   you  to    his   eternal  glory  through 
Christ  Jesus,  restore,  uphold,  strengthen,  and  stabhsh  you." 
For  "we  are  not  able,"  as  Paul  in  another  place  saith,  "  of  [-'Cor.ui.s.] 
ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as   of  ourselves  ;   but  all  our 
ability   is  of   God."      Therefore   God   alone   remaineth  still 
the  only  well-spring  of  all  good  works,  from  Avhom,  as  from 

[0  Phil.  ii.  13  ;  pro  bono  animi  proposito,  Lat.  and  Erasmus.  Scnsus 
est,  Deus  operatur  in  nobis  vello  et  pciTicero,  idijuc  facit  quod  propcnso 
in  nos  animo  sit,  quod  nos  amat,  ct  familiaritcr  admodum  complectitur. 
BuUinger,  Comment,  in  loc] 

21—2 


324  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

a  spriDg-head,  good   works'  do   flow  into  the  saints,  as  into 
sundry  streams  and  channels  2. 
Good  works  Yet  horo  by  the  way   this  must  be   added,   that  good 

are  imputed  v  v  ^  o 

to  men.  works,  although  they  do  in  deed  proceed  from  God,  and  are 
in  very  true  and  proper  phrase  of  speech  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  and  of  faith,  both  are  notwithstanding,  and  are  also 
said  to  be,  ours ;  that  is  to  say,  the  works  of  faithful  men : 
partly  because  God  worketh  them  by  us,  and  useth  our  mi- 
nistery  in  the  doing  of  the  same ;  and  partly  because  we  are 
by  faith  the  sons  of  God,  and  are  therefore  made  the  brethren 
and  joint-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ.  For  by  this  right  of  in- 
heritance all  the  works  of  God,  which  are  in  us  God's  gifts, 
do  begin  to  be  not  another's,  but  our  own  and  proper  works. 
Yea,  the  very  scripture  doth  attribute  them  to  us,  as  unto 
sons    and   freeborn    children ;    for   the   Lord  in  the   gospel 

[John  viii.  saith  ;  "  The  servant  abideth  not  in  the  house  for  ever  ;  the 
son  abideth  for  ever."  Therefore,  as  all  things  in  the 
father's  house  do,  by  right  of  inheritance  and  title  of  pro- 
priety, come  to  the  son,  although  the  son  hath  not  gotten 
them  by  his  own  industry,  nor  gathered  them  by  his  own 
labour,  but  hath  received  them  by  the  liberality  of  his 
parents ;  even  so  the  works  of  God,  which  he  doth  work  in 
us  and  by  us,  which  are  God's  gifts  bestowed  upon  us,  both 
are,  and  are  said  to  be,  our  own,  because  we  are  the  sons 
.  of  the  household,  as  it  were,  by  adoption,  and  therefore  are 
the  lawful  heirs.  AVherefore  it  were  the  sign  of  a  very  un- 
thankful mind  for  an  adopted  son,  being  forgetful  of  his 
father's  beneficence  and  liberality,  to  make  his  brags,  that 
all  those  goods,  which  he  enjoyeth  by  right  of  inheritance, 
were  gotten  and  come  by  through  his  own  labour  and  tra- 

[1  Cor.  iv.  vail.  Whereupon  Paul  said  very  religiously  :  "  What  hast 
thou  that  thou  hast  not  received?  If  thou  hast  then  re- 
ceived it,  why  dost  thou  yet  boast  as  though  thou  receivedst 
it  not  ?"  Very  well  thought  the  holy  martyr  of  Christ,  St 
Cyprian,  who  was  wont  to  say :  "  We  should  boast  of  no- 
thing, because  we  have  nothing  of  our  own^."     And  to  this 

]}  opera  vcro  bona,  Lat.] 
[^  as — channels,  is  tho  Translator's  addition.] 

[3  In  nullo  glorianduin,  quando  nostrum  nihil  sit. — Cypr.  Tcstim.  iii. 
ad  Quiriiium  4.  Op.  Par.  1G33,  p.  373.] 


IX.]  OF  CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND  MERITS.  325 

place  bclongctli'*  that  saying  of  the  prophet  Esay  :  "  Sliall 
the  axe  boast  against  him  that  hcwcth  with  it ;  or  shall  the 
saw  brag  against  him  that  drawcth  it''  ?"  We,  verily,  are  the 
instruments  or  tools  of  God,  by  which  he  worketh ;  for  the 
apostle  saith :  "We  are  joint-workers  with  God;  ye  are  f"  (>^r.  ui. 
God''s  husbandry,  ye  are  God's  building.  According  to  the 
grace  which  God  hath  given  me."  Therefore,  according  to 
the  meaning  of  the  apostle's  writing,  St  Augustine,  Lib.  de 
Gratia  et  lihero  arh.,  in  the  sixth  chapter,  doth  say:  "When 
grace  is  given,  then  do  our  merits  begin  to  be  good,  and 
that  through  grace.  For  if  grace  be  taken  away,  then  man 
doth  fall,  not  being  set  up,  but  cast  down  headlong,  by  free- 
■will.  Wherefore,  when  man  beginncth  to  have  good  works, 
he  must  not  attribute  them  to  himself,  but  unto  God,  to  whom 
it  is  said  in  the  Psalm,  Be  thou  my  helper :  0  forsake  me 
not.  In  saying.  Forsake  me  not,  he  sheweth,  that  if  he  be 
forsaken,  he  is  able  to  do  no  good  of  himself*'."  So  then  in 
these  words  St  Augustine  doth  plainly  enough  declare,  that 
good  works  are  ours  after  that  sort,  that  yet  notwithstanding 
they  cease  not  to  be  the  works  of  God  ;  yea,  that  they  ought 
nevertheless  to  be  ascribed  to  the  grace  of  God  that  worketh 
in  us^ 

Now  by  this  which  we  have  hitherto   alleged  out  of  the  no  works  do 

.  .     .  ,  ,        justify. 

scriptures  touching  the  true  original  cause  of  good  works,  i 
we  may  easily  understand  how  and  after  what  manner  the 
scripture  doth  attribute  righteousness  unto  our  merits.  For 
I  have  in  another  place ^  sufficiently  declared  (and  will  again 
say  somewhat,  when  I  come  to  the  treatise  of  the  gospel) 
that  faith,  not  works,  doth  justify  us  in  the  sight  of  God  : 
which  is  the  especial  point  and  chief  foundation  of  the  evan- 
gelical and  apostoUcal  doctrine. 

[*  pertinero  videtur,  Lat.] 

[5  Is.  X.  15;  qui  ipsam  agitat,  Lat.  and  Calvin.] 

[c  Sed  plane  cum  data  fuerit  (gratia),  incipiunt  esse  etiam  merita 
nostra  bona,  per  illam  tamen.  Nam  si  illam  subtraxcrit,  cadit  homo, 
non  erectus,  sed  praicipitatus  libero  arbitrio.  Qiiapropt(M-  quando 
coeperit  homo  habere  merita  bona,  non  debet  sibi  tribuerc  ilia,  sod  Deo, 
cui  dicitur  in  Psalmo,  Adjutor  meusesto,  nc  derelinquas  mo.  Dicendo, 
no  derelinquas  me,  ostendit  quia  si  derolictus  fuerit,  nihil  boni  valet 
ipse  per  so. — Aug.  0pp.  Par.  1531,  Tom.  vii.  fol.  2(J8,  col.  1.] 

[7  Cf.  Calvin.  Instit.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  5,  ^  14.] 

[8  Decad.  i.  Serm.  0,  Vol.  i.  p.  104  ] 


326  THE   THIRD  DECADE.  [SERM. 

All  our  works  generally  are  either  the  works  of  nature 

or  the  flesh,  or  else  the  works  of  the  law,  or  else  the  works 

of  faith   or  grace.      Now  the   works  of  nature  or  the  flesh 

2        do  not  justify,  but  condemn  us  ;  because  "  that  which  is  born 

^  om.vm.  '  q£  £ggjj  -g  flgg]j"  Uut  "the  lust  of  the  flesh  is  death,  and 
enmity  against  God."  What  the  apostle  thought  and  said 
touching  the  works  of  the  law,  I  did  declare^  to  you  in  my 

[Rom. iii.  former  sermon:  "  By  the  works  of  the  law,"  saith  he,  "shall 
no  flesh  be  justified."  But  if  we  beat  out  and  examine  the 
works  of  grace  and  of  faith,  we  shall  find  that  they  both  are, 
and  have  been,  done  by  faithful  and  just  men. 

Whereupon  it  is  manifest,  that  justification  did  always 
go  before  the  works  of  righteousness :  for  the  just  man 
doth  work  righteousness ;  so  that  righteousness  is  the  fruit 
that  the  just  do  bring  forth.  Man,  verily,  is  justified  freely 
by  grace,  and  not  by  works,  which  follow  after  justification. 
What  may  be  said  to  that,  where  the  scripture  saith  2,  that 
even  Abraham,  the  father  of  all  that  believe,  was  not  justified 
by  the  works  of  grace  and  of  faith  ?  He  lived  430  years 
before^  the  law  ;  he  believed  in  God,  and  by  true  faith  did 
most  excellent  works :  and  yet  by  those  his  works  of  faith 
he  was  not  justified.     For   Paul   doth  plainly   argue  thus: 

[Kom.  iv.  "  If  Abraham  were  justified  by  works,  then  hath  he  wherein 
to  boast ;  but  not  before  God.  For  what  saith  the  scripture? 
■  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for 
righteousness.  To  him"*  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not 
reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  duty  ^ :  but  to  him  that  worketh 
not,  but  belie veth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith 
is  counted  for  righteousness."  Now  whereas  we  conclude, 
that  we  also  shall  be  justified  according  to  the  example  of 
Abraham  by  faith,  and  not  by  works,  we  ground  that  con- 
clusion,   not   upon    our   own   minds,    but  upon   the   apostle's 

[Rom.  iv.  doctrine,  who  saith :  "  Nevertheless  it  was  not  written  for 
liim^  only,  that  faith  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness; 

\}  copiose  exposui,  Lat.] 
[2  aperto  testatur,  Lat.] 

[3  Gal.  iii.  17.      Hoc  loco  Apostolus  430  annos  a  promissione  facta 
Abrahse  ad  legem  usque  numerat.    BuUinger,  Comment,  in  loc] 
[■*  Ei  vero,  Lat. ;  now  to  him.] 

[5  See  Tyndalc's  Doctrinal  Treatises,  Park.  Soc.  ed.  p.  103.] 
[c  propter  Abraham,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND   MKRITS.  327 

but  it  was  written  for  us  also,  to  whom  it  shall  be  reckoned, 
if  we  believe  in  Christ."  Touching  this  matter  I  have 
already  disputed  in  the  sixth  sermon  of  the  first  Decade. 
I  verily  am  persuaded  that  this  doctrine  of  the  apostles 
and  evangelists  ought  to  be  laid  up  in  the  bottom  of  every 
faithful  heart :  that  we  are  justified  by  the  grace  of  God,  not 
by  merits''';  through  faith^,  and  not  through  works. 

But  while  we  urge  and  repeat  this   doctrine  unto   the  Good  work* 
people,  we  are  said  of  many  to  be  the  patrons  of  all  nauahti-  j<^'<^«ed,  but 

,  .  '^„  ,^,  ,.  °  their  abuse 

ness,  and  utter  enemies  to  all  good  works  and  virtues.  But  Ifocui'ne* 
we,  by  this  our  preaching  and  doctrine  of  faith  which  doth  ^on^'emned. 
only  justify,  do  not  contemn  good  works,  nor  think  them  to 
be  superfluous.  We  do  not  say  that  they  are  not  good ;  but 
do  cry  out  upon  the  abuse  of  good  works,  and  the  corrupt 
doctrine  of  good  works,  which  is  defiled  with  the  leaven  of 
the  Pharisees.  For  we  teach  to  do  good  works,  but  we  will 
not  have  them  to  be  set  to  sale,  and  to  be  bought  I  cannot 
tell  in  what  order  of  bargaining.  We  will  not  have  any  man 
to  put  confidence  in  them ;  we  will  not  have  any  man  to  boast 
of  the  gifts  of  God ;  we  will  not  have  the  power  to  justify,  or 
to  merit  Hfe  everlasting,  to  be  simply  attributed  unto  them. 
For  by  that  means  Christ  should  wax  vile  and  contemptible^, 
who  hath  with  his  death  alone  merited  for  us  the  heavenly 
kingdom  of  God  Almighty.  Neither  do  we  by  this,  as  many 
think  we  do,  separate  good  works  from  faith.  Our  doctrine 
is,  that  works  and  faith  are  not  severed,  but  cleave  together 
as  closely  as  may  be  :  so  yet  notwithstanding,  that  justification 
is  properly  ascribed  to  faith,  and  not  to  works.  For  works 
do  consist  in  our  worthiness,  but  faith  doth  cleave  to  the  pro- 
mise of  God,  which  setteth  before  us  both  righteousness  and 
life  in  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus  our  Saviour. 
And  Christ  is  sufficiently  able  of  himself,  and  by  his  own 
power  and  virtue,  to  justify  them  that  believe  in  his  name, 
without  any  aid  or  help  of  ours  at  all. 

I  will  not  wink  at  some  menu's  objection,  but  freely  con-  in  what 
fess,  that  the  scriptures  here  and  there  do  after  a  sort  attri-  scripture 
bute  both  life  and  justification  unto  good  works.     But  the  i>uteju.stifi- 

"  ^  o  cation  unto 

scripture  is  not  contrary  to  itself :  therefore  we  must  search  s"'"*  ""^''*- 

[7  non  meritis  nostris,  Lat.] 

[8  per  fidem  in  Christum,  Lat.] 

[9  et  oppugnarctur,  Lat. ;  and  be  fought  against.] 


328  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

and  examine,  in  what  sense,  and  how,  hfe  and  justification  are 
ascribed  to  our  works.  St  Augustine  doth  so  answer  this  ob- 
jection, that  he  referreth  our  works  ^  unto  the  grace  of  God ; 
for  in  his  book  De  gratia  et  llhero  arhitrio,  the  eighth  chapter, 
he  writeth  :  "  If  eternal  hfe  be  of  duty  given  to  good  works, 
as  the  scripture  doth  most  plainly  testify,  saying,  'Because  God 
will  reward  every  man  according  to  his  works ;'  then  how  is 
eternal  life  of  grace,  considering  that  grace  is  not  given  as 
due  to  works,  but  freely  and  without  deserts?  as  the  apostle 
Paul  doth  say,  'To  him  that  worketh  the  reward  is  not  reck- 
oned of  grace,  but  of  duty  f  and  again,  '  The  remnant,'  saith 
he,  '  are  saved  by  the  election  of  grace  :'  and  immediately 
after  he  addeth,  'If  it  be  of  grace,  then  it  is  not  now  of 
works ;  for  then  grace  is  no  more  grace.'  How  then  is  eter- 
nal life,  which  is  gotten  by  works,  a  gift  ?  Or  else  did  not 
the  apostle  say,  that  everlasting  life  is  a  gift  ?  Yes,  verily ;  he 
said  it  so  plainly  that  we  cannot  deny  it.  Neither  are  his 
words  so  obscure  that  they  require  a  sharp  understander, 
but  an  attentive  hearer.  For  when  he  had  said,  'The  reward 
of  sin  is  death ;'  he  addeth  straightway s  :  'But  the  gift  of  God 
is  life  everlasting  in  Jesu  Christ  our  Lord.'  Methinketh 
therefore,  that  this  question  can  be  none  otherwise  resolved, 
unless  we  understand,  that  even  our  good  works,  to  which 
eternal  life  is  given,  must  be  referred  to  the  grace  and  gift  of 
God  ;  because  the  Lord  Jesus  saith,  'AVithout  me  ye  can  do 
nothing:'  and  the  apostle,  when  he  had  said,  'Ye  are  saved 
by  grace  through  faith,'  doth  presently  add,  '  and  that  not 
of  yourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast 2.'"     Thus  much  hitherto  out  of  St  Augustine. 

[1  bona  opera,  Lat.] 

[^  Si  enirn  vita  seterna  bonis  operibus  redditui",  sicut  apcrtissime 
elicit  scriptura,  Quoniam  Deus  reddet  unicuique  secundum  opera 
ejus ;  quomodo  gratia  est  vita  ajterna,  cum  gratia  non  operibus  red- 
datur,  sed  gratis  detur  ?  ipso  ai)Ostolo  diccnte,  Ei  qui  operatur  mercos 
non  imputatur  secundum  gratiam,  sed  secundum  meritum ;  ct  iterum, 
RoIiquiEe,  inquit,  per  electionem  gratia;  salvoc  factso  sunt;  et  mox 
addidit,  Si  autem  gratia,  jam  non  ex  operibus,  alioquin  gratia  jam  non 
est  gratia.  Quomodo  est  ergo  gratia  vita  reterna,  qure  ex  operibus 
sumitur?  An  forte  vitam  retcrnam  non  dixit  apostolus  gratiam?  Imo 
vero  sic  dixit,  ut  ncgari  omnino  non  possit;  nee  intellectoi'em  acutuni, 
sod  tantummodo  iutentum  desiderat  auditorom.  Cum  enim  dixisset, 
Stipendium  peccati  mors;  continue  subJidit,  Gratia  autcni  Dei  vita 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LI13ERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MKRITS.  320 

Now  although  this  answer  of  St  Augustine  be  godly  and 
plain  enough  to  him  that  simply  scarchcth  for  the  truth,  yet 
I  am  sure  that  some  there  are  which  never  will  be  answered 
with  it.      They  will,  I  know,  go  about  upon  St  Augustine's  The  caviis of 
words  to  infer  that  works,  and  not  faith  alone,  do  justify  us  attribute 
men.      For  thus  they  argue  :  Ave  are  justmed,  and  do  obtain  unto  works. 
eternal  life,  by  grace  :  good  works  do  belong  to  the  grace  of 
God  :  therefore  good  works  do  justify  us. 

Now  it  is  not  amiss  to  close  and  buckle  hand  to  hand 
with  these  disputers,  that  in  this  little  ye  may  perceive  that 
they  be  mere  shifts  of  sophistry,  which  they  set  to  sale  under 
the  name  and  colour  of  very  sound  arguments.  And  first  of 
all,  there  is  no  man  so  foolish,  if  he  hath  read  the  doctrine  of 
St  Paul,  but  knoweth  very  well  that  those  two  propositions 
cannot  hang  together:  we  are  justified  by  grace;  and,  we 
are  justified  by  works.  For  that  sentence  of  St  Paul  is  as 
clear  as  the  sun,  where  he  saith,  "  If  of  grace,  then  now  not  [Rom.  xi.  o.] 
of  works :  for  then  grace  were  no  grace."  We  do  freely 
grant  both  their  propositions ;  to  wit,  that  we  are  justified  by 
grace,  and  that  works  belong  to  the  grace  of  God,  or  be 
the  gift  of  God  :  but  ^ve  deny  their  consequence,  and  say 
that  it  is  false  ;  to  wit,  that  works  do  justify.  For  if  that  be 
true,  then  may  we  in  like  manner  truly  say,  A  man  doth  see; 
an  hand  doth  belong  unto  a  man  :  and  thereupon  infer, 
therefore  a  hand  doth  see.  But  who  would  gather  so  vain  a 
consequent  ?  For  all  do  understand,  that  a  man  doth  consist  of 
sundry  members,  and  that  every  member  hath  his  effects^  and 
offices.  Again,  what  is  he  which  knoweth  not,  that  the  grace 
of  God,  which  is  otherwise  undivided,  is  divided  and  distin- 
guished according  to  the  diverse  operations  which  it  workcth? 
For  there  is  in  God  a  certain  (as  it  were)  general  grace, 
whereby  he  created  all  mortal  men,  and  by  which  he  sendcth 
rain    upon  the   just   and  unjust:    but   this  grace    doth   not 

Betema  in  Christo  Jcsu  Domino  nostro.  Ista  ergo  quscstio  nullo  modo 
mihi  videtur  posse  dissolvi,  nisi  intolligamus  ot  ipsa  bona  opera  nostra, 
quibus  fctcrna  redditur  vita,  ad  Dei  gratiam  pertincrc,  propter  illud 
quod  ait  Dominus  Jesus,  Sine  mo  nihil  potestis  facero.  Et  ipse  apostolus 
cum  dixissot,  Gratia  salvi  fucti  estis  per  fidcni ;  et  hoc  non  ex  vobis,  sed 
Dei  donum  est,  non  ex  operibus  no  forte  quis  oxtollatur;  vidit  utiquc, 
&c.— Aug.  0pp.  Par.  1531,  Tom.  vir.  fol.  SOS,  col.  3.] 
p  suas  vires,  Lat.] 


330  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

justify;  for  if  it  did,  then  should  the  wicked  and  unjust^  be 
justified.  Again,  there  is  that  singular  grace,  whereby  he 
doth,  for  his  only-begotten  Christ  his  sake,  adopt  us  to  be  his 
sons  :  he  doth  not,  I  mean,  adopt  all,  but  the  believers  only, 
whose  sins  he  reckoneth  not,  but  doth  impute  to  them  the 
righteousness  of  his  only-begotten  Son  our  Saviour.  This 
is  that  grace  which  doth  alone  justify  us  in  very  deed.  More- 
over there  is  a  grace,  which,  being  poured  into  our  minds, 
doth  bring  forth  good  works  in  them  that  are  justified.  This 
grace  doth  not  justify,  but  doth  engender  the  fruits  of  righte- 
ousness in  them  that  are  justified.  Therefore  we  confess  and 
grant,  that  good  works  belong  to  grace,  but  after  a  certain 
manner,  order,  and  fashion^. 

Again,  they  object  and  say :  But  grace  or  faith  and 
works,  justification  also  and  sanctification,  are  so  joined  to- 
gether, that  they  cannot  be  severed  one  from  another :  there- 
fore the  thing  that  agreeth  to  one  is  also  appliable  unto  the 
other. 

I  verily  neither  dare  nor  do  in  any  case  gainsay,  that 
faith  and  works  do  cleave  together ;  but  I  do  utterly  deny 
that  they  twain  are  all  one,  so  that  the  thing  which  is  attri- 
buted to  the  one  may  also  be  applied  unto  the  other.  For 
faith,  although  it  be  weak  and  unperfect  in  us,  doth  notwith- 
standing lean  and  stay  upon  Christ  his  perfection  alone,  and 
^o  far  forth  it  doth  justify  us.  But  our  works  have  in  them 
(for  I  use  the  mildest  phrase  of  speech)  some  sprinkling  of 
vice  and  sparkle  of  error,  because  of  the  original  disease  that 
is  natural  in  us  all :  but  it  foUoweth  not  therefore,  that  the 
grace  of  God  is  polluted  by  any  vice  or  fault  of  ours ;  which 
should  of  necessity  follow  consequently,  if,  by  reason  of  the 
strait  knot  betwixt  them,  the  properties  of  the  one  were 
common  to  the  other.  Although  the  light  of  the  sun  be  not 
separate  from  the  heat  thereof,  yet  is  not  the  light  the  same 
that  the  heat  is.  Neither  is  it  a  good  consequence  to  say, 
The  sun  giveth  light  to  the  world ;  therefore  the  heat  of  the 
sun  giveth  light  to  the  world,  because  in  the  sun  the  heat 
and  light  cannot  be  separated.  Yea  rather,  the  sun  in 
respect  of  his  light  doth  lighten  the  world,  not  in  respect  of 
the  heat  that  it  hath.     And  yet  the  sun  doth  both  warm  and 

[1  omnos  impii,  Lat.] 

[2  scd  sua  ratione,  sue  modo,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  331 

lighten  the  earth  at  once.  In  like  manner  we  are  freely 
justified  by  the  merciful  grace  of  God,  for  Christ  his  sake,  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  not  in  respect  and  consideration  of  the 
works  of  grace,  that  are  found  in  us ;  although  these  works 
are  engendered  and  brought  forth  by  that  free  grace.  And 
so  we  must  attribute  all  glory  wholly  to  the  grace  of  God, 
and  not  part  stakes  with  him,  and  take  to  our  own  share  any 
part  of  his  glory. 

These  wranglers  have  yet  another  shift,  and  say :  Although 
we  say  that  eternal  life  is  given  by  God  to  all  faithful  be- 
lievers, not  for  faith  only  in  Christ  Jesus,  but  also  for  the 
works  of  faith ;  all  the  glory  nevertheless  shall  redound  to 
God  ;  namely  since  we  acknowledge  and  confess  that  those 
works  are  wrought  in  us  by  the  power  and  grace  of  God. 

To  this  our  answer  is  ;  that  glory  must  so  be  given  to  God 
as  he  doth  please  to  have  it  given  him.  If  the  will,  purpose, 
and  counsel  of  God  were  to  receive  us  into  his  friendship  for 
the  works'  sake,  which  his  Spirit  and  grace  doth  bring  forth 
in  us ;  then  should  he  unadvisedly,  without  discretion,  have 
sent  his  only-begotten  Son  into  the  world,  and  rashly  have 
appointed  him  to  the  terrible  pangs  of  bitter  death.  But 
God,  in  all  that  he  hath  created  either  in  heaven  or  earth, 
much  less  in  this  case,  which  is  the  greatest  that  belongeth  to 
man,  the  chief  and  most  excellent  creature  that  he  hath 
made^  did  never  at  any  time  do  any  thing  rashly,  without 
great  advisement.  Wherefore  it  is  assuredly  certain,  that  it 
was  never  the  counsel  and  purpose  of  God  for  our  own  goo4 
works'*  and  virtues  to  redeem  us  from  the  tyranny  of  Satan, 
and  to  accept  us  for  his  sons;  but  for  the  only  sacrifice  and 
satisfaction  of  his  only-begotten  Son  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord 
and  Saviour.  For  the  judgment  of  Paul  in  this  matter  re- 
maineth  firm  and  invincible,  where  he  saith:  "If  righteousness  [Oai.  n.  21.] 
come  of  the  works  of  the  law,  then  did  Christ  die  in  vain." 
And  that  divine  saying  of  St  Peter  remaineth  for  ever  un- 
controllable :  "There  is  salvation  in  none  other."  [Acts iv.  1-2.] 

Again,  they  do  lay  certain  places  of  scripture  together, 
and  thereupon  do  argue  thus :    Although  Paul  in  one  place 
doth  say,  "Ye  are   saved  by  grace  through  faith  ;"  yet  in^WiH.^a; 
another  place  the  same  Paul  doth  say,  "  We  are  saved  by  " o 

[3  that  belongeth — hath  mado,  not  in  Lat.] 
[*  opera  fidci,  Lat. ;  the  works  of  faith.] 


332  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

hope."     Now   who   knoweth   not  that   hope  is,  as  it  were, 
upheld  and  strengthened  by  patience  ? — Christ  himself  in  the 

[Lukexxi.  gospel  agreeing  thereunto,  and  saying,  "  In  your  patience  ye 
shall  possess  your  souls."  Therefore  not  faith  only,  but  hope 
and  patience  do  bring  us  to  salvation. 

To  this  we  answer  thus ;  That  the  holy  apostle  doth 
sufficiently  expound  himself,  if  a  man  will  take  the  pains  to 
read  him  throughout,  and  weigh  with  himself  the  end  and 
cause  for  which  he  spake  every  several  sentence.  "  Ye  are," 
saith  he,  "  saved  by  grace  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of 
yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God ;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast,"  &c.  Hath  he  not  in  these  few  words  most 
evidently  declared  what  his  belief  is  touching  grace  or  faith, 
and  works  ?  Who  would  desire  a  plainer  speech  ?  There  is 
none  so  very  a  dorhead^  as  that  he  understandeth  not,  that 
the  benefit  2  of  salvation  is  wholly  and  merely  ascribed  to 
grace.  For  he  doth  not  divide  salvation  or  justification  partly 
to  faith  or  grace,  and  partly  to  works ;  neither  doth  he 
attribute  the  first  place  to  faith,  and  the  second  place  to  works : 
he  doth  utterly  exclude  all  boasting.  "  Ye  are,''  saith  he, 
"  saved  by  grace  through  faith."  And  immediately  after  he 
addeth,  "and  that  not  of  yourselves.""  He  annexeth  the  cause; 
"  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  And  again  :  "  not  of  works."  He 
sheweth  why  :  "  Lest  any  man  should  boast."  He  that  under- 
standeth not  this  doth  undoubtedly  understand  nothing  at  all. 

Loqui  contra  Yle  that  wrcsteth  or  otherwise  cavilleth  at  this  doth  speak 

sulem  .■  a  ^  _  _  '■ 

p'^oy?'?.       against  the  sun,  and  saith  that  the  light  is  darkness.     Now 

applied  to  O  '  O 

sneSl'^gtLst  """hereas  the  same  apostle  doth  in  another  place  say,  "We  are 
tie  truth,  gaved  by  hope  ;"  it  is  by  the  marking  of  the  whole  place  to  be 
gathered,  that  his  meaning  is  as  if  he  had  said :  "  I  told  you, 
that  they  which  beheve  in  Christ  are  the  sons  and  heirs  of 
God,  and  have  thereby  their  salvation  and  felicity ;  but  I 
would  have  every  one  to  understand  it  in  hope  and  expec- 
tation, not  in  enjoying  the  very  thing  itself,  and  present 
fruition."  Now  who  can  hereupon  infer.  Therefore  hope 
doth  justify  ?  But  we  do  rather  make  this  argument :  Pa- 
tience is  no  patience  at  all,  unless  the  patient  man  be  first 
justified  by  true  faith:  therefore  the  commendation  of  patience^ 

[1  bardus,  Lat.   Dor:  a  drone] 

[2  totum  bencficiuin,  Lat.] 

[•''  pationtia:!  laus  c^t  virtus,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,   WORKS;   AND   MEUITS.  333 

doth  wholly  depend  upon  faith,  and  not  the  praise  of  faith 
upon  patience;  although  faith  be  declared  and  shewed  forth 
by  patience. 

For  it  is  a  sentence  utterly  unworthy  to  come  out  of  a 
christian  man's  mouth,  to  say,  that  faith  is  made  perfect  by 
good  works ;  that  is  to  say,  where  faith  doth  want  a  piece, 
that  there  good  works  do  patch  it  up.  For  when  we  name 
faith,  we  do  not  name  simply  the  quality  of  believing  which 
is  in  our  minds,  but  we  have  an  eye  to  Christ  himself'*,  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  together  with  his  righteousness  and  hea- 
venly gifts ;  upon  whom  alone,  as  upon  a  base  and  sure 
foundation,  our  faith  doth  rest  and  firmly  stand.  But  to  go 
about  to  supply  the  want  of  any  thing  in  Christ  Jesus,  is 
nothing  else  but  with  devilish  blasphemy  to  disgrace  the 
Son  of  God.  The  faith  of  saints,  I  confess,  doth  declare 
and  shew  itself  by  works;  but  it  followeth  not  thereupon, 
that  works  do  therefore  make  perfect  that  which  seemeth  to 
be  wanting  in  Christ  his  perfection.  For  there  is  nothing 
lacking  in  our  deliverance,  redemption,  and  justification 
wrought  by  Christ.  The  apostle  James  did  say  indeed, 
"  Seest  thou  how  faith  was  made  perfect  by  works  ?"  But  [James 
his  meaning  was  none  other  but  to  say,  Seest  thou  how 
faith,  by  the  works  which  followed  it,  did  declare  itself  to 
be  a  true  and  righteous  faith,  and  not  an  hypocritical  faith  ? 
For  before  these  words  he  said  :  "  Seest  thou  how  his  faith 
was  effectual  through  works  ?""  Again,  the  apostle  Paul  said  : 
"1  fulfil^  that  which  is  lacking  to  the  afHictions  of  Christ 
in  my  flesh  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the  church.""  But 
you  may  better  translate  the  Greek  rd  varepyj^aTa  to  be 
that  rather  which  is  behind,  than  that  which  is  lacking  to  ^ 
the  afflictions  of  Christ :  for  the  Greeks  call  to.  uaTep/nxaTu 
not  only  those  things  that  are  wanting,  but  also  the  remnant 
(which  word  St  Ambrose  also  uscd)^   I  mean  the  remnant 

[•*   See  Vol.  I.  addend,  p.  112,  line  32.] 

[5  Col.  i.  24.  Supploo  vel  adiniplco,  Lat.  The  former  is  the  ren- 
dering of  Erasmus,  the  latter  of  the  Vulgate.] 

[c  qurc  supersunt,  quam  qua3  desunt,  Lat.] 

[V  — qui  nunc  gaudeo  in  passionibus  pro  vobis,  ot  suppleo  relliquias 
prcssurarum  Christi,  &c.  Ambros.  Comment,  in  Ep.  ad  Coloss.  cap.  1, 
V.  24,  Tom.  n.  Append,  pag.  2GG,  Par.  1G90.  But  these  commentaries 
arc  not  genuine.  See  James'  Corruption  of  Scripture,  Council.?,  and 
Fathers,  ed.  Cox,  Lond.  1S43,  p.  26.] 


334 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


[I  Pe 
21.] 


Another 
objection. 
[1  Cor.  xii 


John  [xi 
21,  2:i.] 


and  those  things  that  are  remaining  behind.  And  St  Peter 
saith,  that  "Christ  suffered  for  us,  leaving  behind  him  an  ex- 
ample for  us,  that  we  might  follow  his  trace  and  footsteps." 
Therefore  the  apostle  afiirmeth,  that  he  by  suffering  fulfilled 
the  remnant  which  was  behind ^ 

After  this  again  they  allege  the  words  of  the  apostle 
Paul,  where  he  saith :  "  If  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  can 
remove  mountains  out  of  their  place,  and  yet  have  not  cha- 
rity, I  am  nothing."  For  upon  this  they  infer,  "  Therefore 
not  faith  only,  but  also  charity,  yea,  rather  charity  than 
faith,  doth  justify." 

But  we  say  that  Paul  in  this  sentence  doth  neither  deny 
that  faith  alone  doth  justify,  nor  yet  doth  attribute  the  jus- 
tification of  the  saints  to  charity.  For  when  we  aflirm  that 
we  are  justified  by  faith,  or  when  we  make  faith  the  cause 
of  justification,  (which  thing  must  be  by  often  repetition 
beaten  into  our  memories,)  we  do  not  understand  that  faith, 
as  it  is  a  virtue  in  us,  doth  work,  and  by  the  quality^  that 
sticketh  to  us  doth  merit,  righteousness  in  the  sight  of  God; 
but  so  often  as  we  make  mention  of  faith,  we  understand  the 
grace  of  God  exhibited  in  Christ,  which  is  through  faith 
freely  applied  to  us,  and  received''  as  the  free  gift  of  God 
bestowed  upon  us.  And  in  that  sense  doth  Paul*  use  the 
name  of  faith,  when  he  afiirmeth  that  faith  doth  justify. 
But  in  this  place  of  the  thirteenth  chapter  to  the  Corinthians 
he  doth  not  so  take  the  name  of  faith,  but  putteth  it  for  the 
power  of  working  miracles ;  as  is  manifest  by  that  which 
followeth,  where  he  saith,  "  so  that  I  can  remove  mountains," 
That  faith  doth  not  comprehend  Christ  wholly,  but  only  the 
power  in  shewing  of  miracles :  and  therefore  it  may  be  some- 
time in  an  unjust  man  and  an  hypocrite ;  as  it  was  in  Judas 
Iscariot,  to  whom  the  faith  of  miracles  profited  nothing,  be- 
cause he  was  without  the  justifying  faith;  which  faith  is  never 
without,  but  of  itself  engendereth,  charity. 

Again,  whereas  they  object  that  saying  out  of  the  gospel 
of  St  John,  "  Whosoever  knoAveth^  my  commandments  and 
kecpeth  them,  he  it  is  that  lovcth  me ;  and  my  Father  will 


[1  hasce  relliquias,  Lat.] 
[2  qualitate  sua,  Lat. ;  its  quality.] 
[3  apprehcnditur  recipiturque,  Lat.] 
[4  et  Paulus,  Lat. ;  doth  Paul  also.] 


[5  habct,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF  CHRISTLVN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  335 

love  him,  and  we  will  come  to  him,  and  make  our  abiding  in 

him  ;"  therefore  for  the  observation  of  the  commandments,  that 

is,  for  our  works'*  sake,  God  is  joined  to  us :  we  again  allege 

this  saying  of  the  same  evangelist  and  apostle  John :  "  By  n  john  iv. 

this  we  know  that  we  abide  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because  he 

hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.""    But  that  Spirit  of  God  is  a  free 

gift  :  therefore  we  are  joined  to  God  by  mere  and  free  grace. 

It  followeth  in  John  :  "  And  we  have  seen  and  do  testify, 
that  the  Father  hath  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the 
world."  Thou  hearest,  I  hope,  by  what  it  is  that  the  world 
is  saved,  and  what  Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  world  is^.  Now 
who  knoweth  not  that  he  was  sent  unto  us  of  the  Father  by 
the  mere  and  only  grace  of  God?  It  followeth  now,  how 
that  grace  is  received :  "  AVhosoever  confesseth  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God,  God  abideth  in  him,  and  he  in  God." 
But  in  the  sixth  of  John,  instead  of  'confesseth,'  is  put  'be- John  vi. 
lieveth :'  and  no  marvel,  since  out  of  a  true  faith  a  true 
confession  doth  arise.  By  faith  therefore  are  we  saved ^, 
and  by  faith  are  we  joined  unto  God.  But  letting  pass 
these  wranglers,  who  will  never  be  without  store  of  such  so- 
phistical shifts,  we  do  again  return  to  our  purposed  argument, 
to  shew  you  how,  and  in  what  sense,  life  and  justification  are 
attributed  to  works. 

They  that  are  well  exercised  in  the  reading  of  the  holy  The  places 
scriptures,  that  they  may  reconcile  the  places  of  scripture  works,  ^"t 
that  seem  at  a  blush  to  be  at  discord,  do  teach  that  faith  and  b'ush  to 

disaRree, 

works  in  very  deed  are  not  separated  one  from  another.  For  fl^^^^^^ 
the  same  Holy  Spirit  which  giveth  faith  doth  therewithal  also 
regenerate  the  understanding  and  will,  so  that  the  faithful 
doth  ardently  desire,  and  do  his  endeavour  in  all  things,  to 
do  service  to  God  his  maker.  Therefore,  for  the  unseparable 
knot  betwixt  faith  and  good  works,  which  always  keep  com- 
pany and  attend  upon**  faith,  we  say,  that  justification  is 
sometimes^  somewhat  unpropcrly  attributed  to  works,  which  is 
somewhat  more  properly  to  be  attributed  to  faith,  but  most 
properly  of  all  to  be  ascribed  to  Christ  apprehended  by  faith, 
who  is  in  very  deed  the  foundation  and  subject  of  our  faith. 

[c  rather,  and  who  tlic  -Saviour  of  the  world  is,  namely  Christ.] 
[■^  recipimus  salutcm,  Lat.]  [^  sequuntur,  Lat.] 

[9  rather,  that  there  is  attributed  to  works  that  which,  &c. ;  'justifi- 
cation' is  not  in  Lat.] 


336  THE    THIKD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

I  will  yet  essay  to  make  this  more  manifest.  In  true  faith 
there  are  two  things  to  be  considered,  reconciUation  and  obe- 
dience :  reconciliation,  because  by  faith  we  understand  and 
verily  believe,  that  God  is  reconciled  to  us  for  Christ  his  sake, 
by  whom  we  are  adopted  into  the  number  of  the  sons  of  God ; 
and  obedience,  because  they  that  are  reconciled  do  wholly 
yield  themselves  to  him  to  whom  they  be  reconciled,  Avith 
earnest  desire  and  zeal  to  do  his  will  and  pleasure.  So  then 
we  say  that  faith'  is  of  two  sorts,  the  justifying  and  the  obey- 
ing faitli^.      Of  the  justifying  faith ^  St  Paul  maketh  mention, 

fRom.  V.  where  he  saith  :  "Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  to- 
ward God  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  are 
reconciled."  Again  he  maketh  mention  of  the  obeying  faith ^ 

[Rom. vi.  16.]  where  he  saith  :  "Know  ye  not,  that  to  whom  ye  give  your- 
selves as  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  do 
obey  ;  whether  it  be  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto 
righteousness?" — that  is  to  say,  which  obedience  maketh  you 
to  do  the  things  that  are  righteous,  and  to  be  the  servants  of 
righteousness,  which  shall  turn  to  you  to  eternal  life ;  and  not 
the  servants  of  sin,  which  turneth  unto  death.  Now  there- 
fore justification  is  properly  attributed  to  the  reconciling 
righteousness  through  Christ  Jesus,  and  is  improperly  ascribed 
to  the  obeying  righteousness,  or  righteousness  of  obedience. 
For  the  obeying  righteousness  is  of  the  reconciling,  and 
without  the  reconciling  righteousness  obedience  should  not  be 
called  righteousness.  To  which  this  is  also  to  be  added,  that 
they  which  are  justified  do  not  put  any  confidence  in  this 
obedience,  as  that  which  is  always  spotted  in  this  world  by 
reason  of  our  flesh. 

To  this  also  agreeth  this  other  explication  which  I  will 
here  annex.      The  most  proper  work  of  faith  is  purification 

[Acts  XV.  9.]  and  sanctification ;  for  St  Peter  doth  expressly  say,  that  by 
faith  our  hearts  are  purified.  But  in  sanctification  the  holy 
scriptures  do  shew  to  be  two  especial  things :  first,  that  all 
the  faithful  arc  freely  purified  by  the  blood  of  Christ  Jesus; 

[I  Pet.  i.  Ill,  for  again  the  same  St  Peter  saith  :   "  Ye  know  that  you  arc 

^^'^  redeemed  not  with  transitory  things,  as  gold  and  silver;  but 

with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  an  unspotted  Lamb." 
St  Paul  saith:  "Ye  are  sanctified^  by  the  will  of  God  through 

['  justitiuin,  Lat.  ;  rightoousnoss]  [2  faith,  not  in  Lat.] 

[S  Ileb.  X.  10,  14,  sanctificati  sumus,  T..at.] 


IX.]  OF  CHRISTIAN  LIBEUTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  .037 

the  oblation  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  made.  For 
with  that  one  oblation  he  made  them  perfect  for  ever  which 
are  sanctified."  St  John  also  saith  :  "The  blood  of  Jesus  [i  John i.  7.] 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  doth  cleanse  us  from  all  sin."  There- 
fore the  most  proper  phrase  of  speech  is  to  say,  that  we  are 
sanctified  through  faith  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  said  :  "I  ^i"''"'"''' 
sanctify  myself  for  them,  that  they  also  may  be  sanctified 
through  the  truth."  The  latter  is,  that  they  which  are  sanc- 
tified by  the  blood  of  Christ  through  faith,  do  day  by  day 
sanctify  themselves,  and  give  their  minds  to  hoHness ;  to  the 
doing  and  study  whereof  the  apostles  do  most  earnestly  exhort 
the  saints.  For  Peter  saith:  "As  he  which  called  you  is  holy, 
so  be  ye  also  holy  in  your  conversation^;  because  it  is  written. 
Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy."  St  Taul  saith  :  "This  is  the  will  of 
God,  even  your  holiness,"  &c.  1  Thessal.  iv.  St  John  saith; 
"Xow  are  we  the  sons  of  God;  and  yet  it  doth  not  appear  [uoh.i ni. 
what  we  shall  be :  but  we  know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  '^'  ^  -' 
we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is.  And  every 
one  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he 
also  is  pure."  Now  this  purging  or  purification,  which  is 
made  by  our  care  and  industry,  is  called  by  the  name  of 
sanctification,  not  because  it  is  made  by  us  as  of  ourselves,  but 
because  it  is  made  of  them  that  are  sanctified  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  in  respect  of  Christ  his  bloods  For  unless  that  sanc- 
tification, which  is  the  very  true  and  only  sanctification  in 
deed,  do  go  before,  our  sanctification  (I  mean,  that  which  wo 
work)  is  none  at  all.  But  if  that  go  before,  then  is  this  of 
ours  imputed  for  sanctification,  although  in  the  meanwhile  the 
spots  of  sin  remaining  in  us  do  defile  it,  and  that  we  do  put 
no  confidence  in  it.  Therefore,  so  often  as  thou  shalt  read  in 
the  holy  scriptures  that  righteousness  is  attributed  to  our  good 
works,  thou  shalt  think  straightways,  that  it  is  done  for  none 
other  causes  than  those  which  I  have  hitherto  already  de- 
clared unto  thee.  For  the  apostolical  Spirit  cannot  be  repug- 
nant or  contrary  to  itself. 

This  will  yet  be  made  a  great  deal  more  manifest,  if  we  The  ai^suca 
call  to  remembrance  and  do  consider,  that  the  apostles  had  to  rijihteousni-sg 

•'of  works. 

deal  with  two  kmds  of  men :  the  one  sort  whereof  did  afiirm, 

[•♦  1  Pet.  i.  ly,  IG,  in  omni  conversatioiic,  Lat.] 

[5  in  respect  of  Christ  his  blood,  is  an  addition  of  the  translator's.] 

22 

[bulling ER,   II.] 


338  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

that  they  were  sufficiently  able  of  their  own  strength  to  sa- 
tisfy or  fulfil  the  law,  and  that  they  could  by  their  deserts  and 
good  works  merit  eternal  life ;  yea,  they  affirmed  that  the 
merit  of  Christ  was  not  sufficient  enough  ^  to  the  getting  of 
salvation,  unless  the  righteousness  of  men  were  added  there- 
unto. Against  these  Paul  disputed  very  constantly  and  pithily 
in  all  his  epistles ;  for  they  made  Christ  and  the  grace  of 
Theaponies  God  of  nono  effect.  The  other  sort  of  men  were  such  as, 
abusers  ot  abusuig  the  doctrine  of  grace  and  faith,  did  wallow  like  swine 
fluh.""  in  all  lilthy  sins,  because  they  thought  that  it  was  sufficient 
unto  salvation  if  they  did  say  that  they  believed ;  but  they 
never  declared  their  faith  or  belief  by  any  good  works,  al- 
though occasion  thereunto  were  given  them.  Against  these 
did  St  Peter  very  well  and  wisely^  dispute  in  the  first  chapter 
of  his  second  epistle,  and  St  James  in  the  second  chapter  of 
his  epistle.  For  he  affirmeth,  that  Abraham  was  not  justified 
by  faith  only,  but  by  works :  that  is  to  say,  that  he  was  not 
justified  by  a  vain  opinion,  but  by  faith  which  bare  and  was 
full  of  good  works.  For  James  doth  use  the  names  of  faith 
and  justification  in  one  sense,  and  Paul  in  another.  Paul 
putteth  faith  for  an  assured  confidence  in  the  merit  of  Christ; 
and  he  useth  justification  for  absolution  and  remission  of  sins, 
for  adoption  into  the  number  of  the  sons  of  God,  and  lastly^ 
for  the  imputing  of  Christ  his  righteousness  unto  us.  But 
in  James  faith  doth  signify  a  vain  opinion :  and  justifi- 
cation doth  import,  not  the  imputing  of  righteousness,  but 
the  declaring  of  righteousness  and  adoption.  For  it  is  un- 
doubtedly true,  that  the  holy  ^  apostles  of  Christ,  St  Peter 
and  St  James,  would  not  by  their  writings  make  void  the 
grace  and  merit  of  Christ,  to  advance  the  merits  of  mortal  men ; 
but  rather  to  withstand  the  unpureness  of  them  which  put  the 
faith  of  Christ  in  peril  of  disgracing^,  to  the  offence  of  all  good 
men,  living  in  the  mean  while  most  wickedly  in  detestable 
sins  without  repentance.  Therefore  the  apostles  of  Christ, 
requiring  good  works  at  the  hands  of  the  faithful,  do  first  of 

[1  pci'  se,  Lat.  omitted ;  of  itself.] 

[2  constanter  et  acriter,  Lat.] 

[3  adcoque  et,  Lat. ;  and  thus  also.] 

[4  fidelissimos,  Lat. ;  the  most  faithful.] 

[5  rather,  which  made  a  boast  of  faith  in  Christ  to  the  oftcncc,  &c.] 


IX.]  OK   CHIilSTIAN   LIBEKTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  339 

all  require  a  true  and  lively  faith,  and  do  refer  them  both'' 
unto  the  grace  of  God. 

Let  us  therefore  most  firmly  hold,  that  the  apostles  do  Faith  justi- 
attribute  justification,  life,  and  salvation,  to  good  works  im-  wof^T' 
properly  ;  to  true  faith  properly ;  but  most  properly  to  Christ, 
who  is  the  subject  and  foundation  of  true  faith.    For  although 
true  faith '^  is  not  without  good  works,   yet  doth  it  justify 
without  good  works,  by  itself  alone.      For  it  is  most  certain, 
that  life  and  salvation  are  bestowed  on  us  after  the  same 
manner   that  health  and  life  was  given  to  the  children  of 
Israel,  which  in  the  wilderness  were  poisoned  of  the  serpents. 
They  had  their  health  restored  them  not  by  any  works,  but 
by  the  only  beholding  and  looking  upon  the  brasen  serpent  : 
therefore  we  also  are  made  partakers  of  eternal  life  by  faith 
alone,  which  is  the  true  beholding  and  looking  up  to  Christ. 
"  As  Moses,"   saith  our    Saviour,    "  did  lift  up  the  serpent  [John  iu.  u, 
in  the  wilderness,  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up ;  that 
every  one  which  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life."    And  the  apostle  Paul  saith  :  "  Ye  are  saved  by  [Eph.  u.  s, 
grace  through  faith  ;  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God: 
not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast,"  &e. 

With  this  doctrine  of  the  evangelists  and  apostles  do  the 
testimonies  of  certain  doctors  of  the  church  agree  :  some  of 
which  I  will  recite  unto  you,  dearly  beloved,  not  because  these 
testimonies  of  the  scripture  are  not  sufticient,  but  because  we 
will  not  seem  to  be  the  beginners  and  bringers  in  of  new 
doctrines :  although  in  very  deed  that  can  not  be  new,  which 
is  derived  out  of  the  evangelical  and  apostolic  doctrine,  albeit 
that  all  the  doctors  of  the  church  should  gainsay  or  deny  it. 
Now  therefore  give  ear  how  some,  even  of  the  best  of  them, 
do  not  in  words  only  say  and  write,  but  also  by  proofs  shew, 
that  faith  alone  doth  justify. 

Origen,  a  very  ancient  writer,  upon  the  third  chapter  of  !>igen^rj 
the  epistle  of  St  Paul  to  the  llomans,  doth  say :  "  Paul  saith  "°'"»- 
that  the  justification  of  faith  alone  is  sufiicicnt  for  a  man ; 
so  that  every  one  that  doth  believe  only  is  justified,  although 
no  works  are  once  wrought  by  him,  JN'ow  if  we  require  an 
example,  where  any  was  over  justified  by  faith  alone  without 
good  works ;  that  thief,  I  suppose,  is  example  good  enough, 

[6  omnia,  Lat. ;  all.] 

[■^  communi  lege,  Lat.  omitted;  by  a  general  law.] 

22 2 


340  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

who,  being  crucified  with  Christ,  did  cry  from  the  cross, 
'  Lord  Jesu,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  king- 
dom.' In  the  writings  of  the  evangehsts  there  is  mention 
made  of  no  good  work  which  he  in  his  Hfe  time  did ;  and  yet, 

[Luke  xxiii.  because  of  this  his  faith  only,  Jesus  said  unto  him :  '  Verily 
I  say  unto  thee,  this  day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise.' 
Therefore  this  thief  was  through  faith  justified  without  the 
works  of  the  law.  For  after  this  request  and  prayer  of  his 
the  Lord  made  no  inquisition  what  his  works  were  all  his  life 
long ;  neither  did  he  look  what  works  he  would  do  after  this 
faith  and  believing ;  but  did  immediately,  upon  his  confession, 
both  justify,  and  take  him  as  a  companion  to  go  with  him  to 
paradise.  Moreover  to  the  woman,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
in  the  gospel  after  St  Luke,  not  for  any  work  of  the  law,  but  for 

4»"5a]'"'  ^^^^^  ^^^7  ^®  ^^^^>  '  Thy  sins  arc  forgiven  thee.'  And  again, 
'  Go  in  peace,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  safe.'  Further- 
more, in  many  places  of  the  gospel  we  find  that  our  Saviour 
used  the  like  kind  of  speech,  making  faith  always  to  be  the 
cause  of  men's  salvation.     And  a  little  while  after  the  same 

[Gal.  vi.  14.]  apostle  saith  :  '  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  in  any  thing 
but  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world 
is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  to  the  world.'  Thou  seest  here  that 
the  apostle  glorieth  not  of  his  own  righteousness,  or  chastity, 
or  wisdom,  or  other  works  or  virtues  of  his  own,  but  doth 
most  plainly  pronounce  and  say :  '  Let  him  that  glorieth 
glory  in  the  Lord ;'  and  so  by  that  means  all  boasting  is 
excluded  ^"  And  so  forth,  with  many  other  sayings  tending  to 
this  purpose. 

[1  Dicit  (Paulus)  sufficere  solius  fidei  justificationem,  ita  ut  credens 
quis  tantunimodo  justificetur,  etiamsi  nihil  ab  eo  operis  fucrit  expletum. 
Imminet  igitur  nobis,  qui  integram  esse  scripturam  apostoli  conamur 
asserere,  et  ordine  suo  cuncta  constare,  ut  requiramus,  quis  sine  ope- 
ribus  sola  fide  justiftcatus  sit.  Quantum  igitur  ad  exemplum  pertinet, 
sufficere  arbitror  ilium  latronem,  qui,  cum  Christo  crucifixus,  clamavit 
ei  de  cruce,  Domine  Jesu,  memento  mei  cum  veneris  in  regnum  tuum. 
Nee  aliud  quicquam  describitur  boni  operis  ejus  in  evangeliis,  sod  pro 
hac  sola  fide  ait  ei  Jesus,  Amen  dice  tibi,  hodie  mecum  eris  in  para- 
dise . , .  Per  fidem  enim  justifieatus  est  hie  latro,  sine  operibus  legis. 
Quia  super  hoc  Dominus  non  requisivit  quid  prius  operatus  esset,  nee 
exspectavit  quid  operis  cum  credidissot  expleret,  sed  sola  confessiono 
justificatum  comitem  sibi  eum  paradisum  ingressurus  assumpsit.  Sed 
et  mulier  ilia,  de  qua  in  evangelio  secundum  Lucam  refertur ...  ex 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,   WORKS,  AND   MERITS.  341 

St  Ambrose  in  his  exposition  of  Paul  his  epistle  unto  the  Ambro^. 
Romans,  upon  the  third  and  fourth  chapters,  doth  say  :  "They 
are  freely  justified,  saith   St  Paul,  because,  when  they  work 
nothing,  nor  do  any  thing  for  God  again,  they  are  yet  through 
faith  only  justified  by  the  gift  of  God". 

'"According  to  the  purpose  of  God's  grace,""  saith  Paul: 
it  was  so  ordained  of  God,  that,  laying  the  law  aside,  the 
grace  of  God  should  require  faith  only  unto  salvation^." 

*'  This  doth  by  the  example  of  the  prophet  confirm  the 
blessedness  of  the  man  to  whom  tlie  Lord  imputeth  righte- 
ousness without  works :  he  calleth  them  blessed,  with  whom 
the  Lord  hath  covenanted,  that  without  labour  and  keeping 
of  the  law  they  should  be  justified  before  their  Maker'." 

St  John  Chrysostom,  treating  of  faith,  of  the  law  of  chrysost. 
nature,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  doth  expressly  say  :  "  I  cannot 
prove  that  he  which  worketh  the  works  of  righteousness 
without  faith  doth  enjoy  eternal  life  :  but  I  can  by  good 
proof  shew  that  he  which  believed,  without  works,  did  both 
live  and  obtain  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  No  man  without 
faith  hath  obtained  life ;  but  the  thief  believed  only,  and  for 
his  faith  was  justified  by  the  most  merciful  God.    And  whereas 

nuUo  legis  opere,  sed  pro  sola  lide,  ad  earn  (ait),  Remittuntur  tibi 
peccata  tua :  ct  iterum.  Fides  tua  te  salvam  fecit,  vade  in  pace.  Sed 
et  in  multis  evangelii  locis  hoc  sennone  usum  legimus  Salvatorem,  ut 
credentis  fidem  causam  dicat  esse  salutis  ejus. . .  Audi  quid  dicit  (apos- 
tolus) :  Mihi  auteiii  absit  gloriari,  nisi  in  cruce  Domini  mei  Jesu  Cliristi, 
per  quern  mihi  mundus  crucifixus  est,  et  ego  mundo.  Vidcs  apostolum 
non  gloriantem  super  justitia  sua,  neque  super  castitate,  nequo  super 
sapientia,  nequo  super  ceteris  virtutibus  vel  actibus  suis,  sed  apertissime 
pronunciantem  et  dicentem,  Qui  gloriatur,  in  Domino  glorietur;  ct 
sic  exclusa  est  Judaica  gloriatio,  &c. — Orig.  Comment,  in  ep.  ad 
Roman.  Lib.  iir.  Tom.  iv.  Par.  1733— 59,  pp.  51G,  17.] 

[2  Justificati  sunt  gratis,  quia  nihil  operantes,  neque  vicem  red- 
dentes,  sola  fide  justificati  sunt  dono  Dei — Ambros.  Comment,  in  ep. 
ad  Rom.  cap.  ni.  v.  24,  Tom.  ii.  Append.  Par.  1G90,  col.  4G.  But  see 
above,  page  336,  note  3.] 

[3  Secundum  propositum  gratia)  Dei]  Sic  decrctum  dicit  Paul  us  a 
Deo,  ut  cessante  lego  solam  fidem  gratia  Dei  posceret  ad  salutem. — lb. 
cap.  iv.  V.  5,  col.  48.] 

[■*  Sicut  et  David  dicit.]  Hoc  ipsum  munit  excmplo  prophcta; 
beatitudinem  hominis  cui  Deus  acccpto  fert  justitiam  sine  oporibus. 
Beatos  dicit,  de  quibus  hoc  sanxit  Deus,  ut  sine  laboro  et  aliqua  obscr- 
vationc  sola  fide  justificcntur  apud  Dcuni. — lb.  cap.  iv.  v.  6,  col.  48.] 


342  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

here,  peradventure,  tliou  -wilt  object,  that  he  wanted  time  to 
live  justly,  and  to  do  good  works :  I  answer,  that  I  do  not 
greatly  strive  about  that ;  but  this  only  I  stick  to,  that  faith 
alone  did  justify  and  save  him.  For  if  he  had  lived  any 
longer,  and  had  neglected  faith  and  works,  he  had  undoubtedly 
fallen  from  salvation.  But  the  only  end  and  argument 
whereat  I  now  shoot  is,  that  faith  of  itself  doth  bring  sal- 
vation, and  that  works  of  themselves  did  never  save  any 
workers  that  wrought  them :"  as  Chrysostom  doth  at  large 
declare  by  the  example  of  the  captain^  Cornelius^. 

These  testimonies,  I  suppose,  are  sufficient  to  wits  that 
will  be  answered  and  do  not  stand  obstinately  in  quarrellings 
and  janglings  ;  otherwise  I  could  allege  a  great  number 
more.  But  I  will  not  be  over-tedious  unto  you,  dearly  be- 
loved, nor  seem  to  be  endless^  in  an  evident  matter. 
Of  merits  or  I^ut  now  becauso  to  this  treatise  of  the  righteousness  of 

of  good^"'''^'^  works  there  is  a  question  annexed  touching  the  merits  of 
good  works ;  I  will  therefore  summarily  say  somewhat  of 
merits,  or  rather,  of  the  hire  and  reward  of  good  works:  to 
this  end  specially,  lest  any  man,  thinking  irreligiously  of  the 
merits  of  good  works,  do  thereby  win  to  himself  not  good 
but  evil  works. 

The  name  of  merits  is  an  unacquainted  term,  not  used  in 
No  good  the  scriptures.  For  in  that  signification  wherein  our  merit- 
man?'"  workers  use  it,  to  wit,  for  meritorious  works;  for  that,  I 
mean,  whereunto  both  life  and  the  grace  of  God  is  of  duty 
given  as  debt  that  is  due  ;  in  that  signification,  I  say,  it  doth 
obscure  the  grace  of  God,  and  maketh  man  too  proud  and 
arrogant.     What,  I  pray  you,  can  our  works  deserve,  since 

[1  centurionis,  Lat.] 

[  "Av€V  iriarecos  tov  epya^ofievov  epya  8iKaio(Tvvi]s  ov  Svvtj  Trapaa-Trjaai 
^Tjcravra,  avev  8e  epyav  rbv  niaTov  dvvapai  Sei^ai  koI  ^i^aavra  koI  iSacriXeias 
d^icodevra.  Ov8e\s  avev  TTt'oreco?  e^rjcrev'  6  8e  Xr/aT^s  Tntmvaas  povov 
ihiKaiatOr).  Kat  pr]  poi  Xc'yf,  ovk  i'a-x^  Kaipov  noiXiTfveadai'  ov8e  yap  iym 
TovTo  (piXoveiicco,  cJXX'  €Ke2vo  irapia-nja-a,  on  fj  Trlaris  Kaff  favrf/v  fcraxTfv. 
Et  yap  eTre^rjo-e  rfj  ij-icTTei,  Kal  epyav  i^peXrjatv,  i^eniTTTe  ttjs  (ruTrjplas.  T6 
8e  (TKoTTovpevov  vvv  Kai  ^ijrovpevov,  ort  Ka\  i]  Triaris  Kad^  eavrf^v  eaaxrev,  epya 
Be  KaO'  (avTO.  ov8apov  tovs  epyaras  fSiKaicoae.  Kal  deXeis  Idelv  (iKpt/Scoy, 
ort  i'pya  avev  Tria-rews  ov  ^(oonoiel ;  MepapTvprjro  KopvijXios,  &c. — Chrysost. 
Serm.  do  Fide  ct  Lege  Naturtc  et  Sancto  Spir.  0pp.  Tom.  i.  Pai\ 
1718,  p.  82G.     But  this  treatise  is  not  Chrysostom's.] 

[3  spinosus,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  .'MS 

none  of  the  saints  durst  be  so  bold  as  to  plead  their  merits 
before  the  Lord?     Job  crieth :   "If  I    "will  justify   myself,  [Job  ix.  2(i, 
mine  own  mouth  shall   condemn  me.      If  I  will  go  about  to 
shew  myself  to  be  an  innocent,  he"*  shall  prove  mo  a  wicked 
doer.      If  I  wash  myself  with  snow-water '\  and  make   my 
hands  never  so  clean  at  the  well",  yet  shalt  thou  dip  me  in 
the  mire,  and  mine  own  garments  shall  delile^   me."     David 
crieth:  "Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant;  for  in  rpsai. cxnii. 
thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified."    Christ  our  Lord 
in  the  gospel  salth :   "  When   ye  have  done  all  things  that 
are  commanded  you,  then  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants  ; 
we  have  done  that  wo  ought  to  do."      But  a  little  before  our 
Lord  said:  "  Doth  the  master  thank  the  servant  which  doth  [Luuexvii. 
the  things  that    are   commanded   him    to   do  ?"     The  holy 
apostle   St  Paul  also  crieth  :  "  I  do  not  despise  the  grace  of  [Oai.  11.21.] 
God :  for  if  righteousness  be  of  the  law,  then  did  Christ  die 
in  vain."     Again,  in  the  gospel  after  St  Luke,  the  Pharisee  j;Liike  xvul 
is  greatly  blamed,  which  could  not  be  content  to  put  confidence 
in  his  own  righteousness,  but  would  needs  boast  of  his  merits 
also.      And  Nabuchodonosor   felt  no  little  plague  for  saying  ^d^^^' 
that  the  kingdom  of  Babylon  did  come  unto  him  by  his  own 
art,   industry,  power,  and  virtue.      By  how  much  a  greater 
punishment,  therefore,  shall  we  think  them  to  be  worthy  of 
which  are  persuaded,  and  make  their  brags,   that  they  by 
their  merits  have  deserved  or  earned  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ? 

And  yet  all  this  doth  not  tend  to  the  making  void  of  a  reward  u 

ti  ^  given  to  good 

the  stipend  of  good  works,  or  to  the  denying  of  the  reward  *<>'''«• 
that  is  prepared  for  virtues :  for  he  is  true  which  promised, 
and  what  he  promised  he  will  perform.  Now  he  promised 
rewards  to  them  that  work  righteousness  :  even  as  also  ac- 
cording to  his  justice  and  truth  he  hath  threatened  terrible 
punishments  to  wicked  and  impenitent  sinners.  But  the 
promises  of  God  are  of  two  sorts ;  to  wit,  they  lay  before 
our  eyes  the  gifts  and  rewards  of  this  present  life,  and  of 
the  life  to  come.  For  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  after  St  Mark 
doth  say  :  "Verily  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  no  man  that  [""k  x.  29, 
hath  forsaken   house,   or  brethren,    or  lands,   for    my  sake 

[i  So  Covcrdalo,  1535.] 

[5  quasi  aquis  nivis,  Lat. ;  as  it  wore  witli.] 

[6  at  the  well,  not  in  Lat.] 

[■^  abominahuntur  me,  Lat.] 


344  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

and  the  gospel's,  but  he  shall  receive  an  hundreth-fold  now 
at  this  present  with  persecutions ;  and  in  the  world  to  come 
[2Tim.  iv.    life  everlasting."     And  Paul  saith  :  "Godliness   is  profitable 
®~^"'^         to  all  things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  is  now,  and  of 
that  which  is  to   come.      This  is  a  sure  saying,  and  by  all 
means  worthy  to  be  received.      For  therefore  we  both  labour 
and  suffer  rebuke,  because  we  have  our  hope  settled  in  the 
living  God,  &c."      And  here  it  will  do  well  to  reckon  up 
and  cite  the  testimonies  of  scripture,  which  do  concern  the 
reward   of  good  works.     I   will  therefore  recite  a  few,  but 
such  as  shall  be  evident  and  pertaining  to  the  matter.     The 
[rsai.  iii.  10,  Lord  in  Esay  crieth  :    "Say  to  the  just,  that  it  shall  go  well 
"■■'  with  him  ;   for  he  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  his  study,  or  travail. 

And  woe  to  the  wicked  sinner ;  for  he   shall  be  rewarded 
according  to  the  works  of  his  hands."     In  Jeremy  we  read : 
[jer.  xxxi.     "  Leave  off  from  weeping  ;  for  thy  labour  shall  be  rewarded 
[Matt.  V.  11.]  thee."     And   in  the   gospel  the   Lord    saith :  "  Blessed  arc 
ye,  when  men  speak  all  evil  sayings  against  you,  lying,  for 
my  sake.     Rejoice  ye,  and  be  glad ;  for  great  is  your  reward 
[Rom.ii.  10.]  i'^  heaven."      The  apostle  Paul  also  saith:  "Glory,  honour, 
and  peace,  to  every  one  that  worketh  good,  to  the  Jew  first, 
[2  Cor.  V.  10.]  and  also  to  the  Gentile."     Again  :  "  We  must  all  appear  be- 
fore the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  bear 
the  deeds  of  his  body,  according  to  that  which  he  hath  done, 
whether  it  be  good  or  bad."     And  again :  "  Every  one  shall 
receive  a  reward  according  to  his  labour  ^" 
To  whom  the         Now  Ict  US   remember,  that  the  reward  is  promised  and 
promued."^*    great   gifts   are  prepared   for  them    that   labour    manfully. 
To  sluggards  and  slow-backs  are  imminent  the  evils  of  this 
present  life,   and  also    of  the  life  to  come.      To   them  that 
strive  lawfully  the  garland  is  due.      But  if  it  happen  that 
the  reward  be  deferred,  and  that  they  which  strive  receive 
not  the  promises  by  and  by  out  of  hand ;  yet  let  the  afflicted 
think  that  their  afflictions  tend  to  their  commodity,  and  that 
they  are  laid  upon  them  by  their  heavenly  Father.     Let  not 
their  courage  therefore  fail  them,  but  let  them   shew  them- 
selves   men    in  the    fight,    and    call    to    God    for  aid ;    for 
[Matt.  xxiv.  "  whosoever  persevereth  unto  the  end,  he  shall  be  saved." 
^-'  Let  every  one  call  to  his  remembrance  the  old  examples  of 

the  holy  fathers,  to  whom  many  promises  were  made,  the 
[1  1  Cor.  iii.  8  ;  suam  mcrcedcm,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN  LII5ERTY,    VVOIIKS,   AND   MERITS.  345 

fruit  whereof  they  did  not  reap  till  many  a  day  were  come 
and  gone,  wherein  they  strove  against  and  did  overcome 
full  many  a  sharp  temptation.  The  apostle  Paul  crieth  :  "I  u'Tim. iv. 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  fulfilled  my  course,  I  have 
kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall 
give  me  in  that  day  :  not  to  me  only,  but  to  them  also  that 
have  loved  his  appearing."  They  must  lay  before  their 
eyes  the  truth  of  God,  who  saith  :  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  [Matt.  xxiv. 
pass,  but  my  word  shall  not  pass."  The  Israelites,  verily, 
were  a  long  time  holdcn  captive  in  Egypt :  but  the  Lord 
did  not  forget  his  promise ;  for  in  a  fit  and  convenient 
time  he  set  them  out  at  liberty  with  abundant  joy  and  glory 
for  the  triumph  gotten  over  their  oppressors.  The  Ainale- 
chites  and  Chanaanites  did  a  great  while,  I  confess,  exalt 
themselves  in  sin  and  wickedness ;  but  when  the  measure 
of  their  iniquity  was  fully  filled,  then  were  they  throughly 
recompensed  for  their  pains  by  him  that  is  the  severe  re- 
venger of  unrepented  wickedness.  The  scripture  therefore 
exhorteth  all  men  to  have  sure  hope,  persevering  patience, 
and  constancy  invincible :  of  which  I  spake  in  the  third 
sermon  of  this  third  Decade.  To  this  place  do  belong,  as 
I  suppose,  those  excellent  words  of  St  Paul,  where  he  saith : 
"  It  is  a  faithful  saying :  for  if  wo  be  dead  with  him,  we  [^  xim.  ii. 
shall  also  live  with  him ;  if  we  be  patient,  we  shall  also  reign  ""^^^ 
with  him  :  if  we  deny  him,  he  also  shall  deny  us :  if  we  be 
unfaithful,  he  abideth  faithful ;  he  cannot  deny  himself." 
And  again  :  "  Cast  not  away  your  confidence,  which  hath 
great  rccompence  of  reward.  For  ye  have  need  of  patience, 
that,  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  may  receive  the 
promise.  For  yet  a  very  little  while,  and  he  that  shall  come 
will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.  And  the  just  shall  live  by 
faith  :  and  if  he  withdraw  himself,  my  soul  shall  have  no 
pleasure  in  him.  But  we  are  not  of  them  that  withdraw 
ourselves  unto  perdition ;  but  wc  pertain  to  faith,  to  the 
winning  of  the  soul  2." 

Yet  for  all  this  wc  must  not  abuse  these  and  such  like  ^e  must  not 
testimonies  touching  the  reward  of  works,  nor  the  very  name  ",1 


must  wc  wrest  it  against  the  doctrine  of  mere  grace  and  ^' 
[•■i  Heb.  X.  35 — 39.     So  Cranmcr,  1530.] 


reward  of 
g<x)d  works. 


346  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

Hire  is  due,    the  meHts  of  Christ  our  Saviour.      We  must  think  that  the 
proceedetr  kiucrdom  of  heaveii  and  the  other  special  gifts  of  God  are 

oflheparents'  ,,.  ,.,  ii.i. 

good-will,  not  as  the  hire  that  is  due  to  servants,  but  as  the  inheritance 
of  the  sons  of  God.  For  although  in  the  last  day  of  judg- 
ment the  judge  shall  reckon  up  many  works,  for  which  he 
shall  seem  as  it  were  to  recompense  the  elect  with  eternal 
life ;   yet,  before  that  recital  of  good  works,  he  shall  say  : 

[Matt.  XXV.  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  possess  the  kingdom  pre- 
pared for  you  since  the  beginning  of  the  world."  Now  if 
thou  demandest,  why  he  shall  in  the  day  of  judgment  make 
mention  rather  of  works  than  of  faith  ;  mine  answer  is,  that 
it  is  a  point  or  usual  custom  in  the  law  for  judgment  not 
only  to  be  just,  but  also  by  the  judge's  pronunciation  to  have 
the  cause  made  manifest  to  all  men  wherefore  it  is  just.  And 
God  doth  deal  with  us  after  the  order  of  men  :  wherefore 
he  doth  not  only  give  just  judgment,  but  will  also  be  known 
of  all  men  to  be  a  just  and  upright  judge.  But  we  are  not 
able  to  look  into  the  faith  of  other  men,  which  doth  consist 
in  the  mind  ;  and  therefore  we  judge  by  their  words  and 
deeds.  Honest  words  and  works  bear  witness  of  a  faithful 
heart;  whereas  unhonest  pranks  and  speeches  do  bewray  a 
kind  of  unbelief.  The  works  of  charity  and  humanity  do 
declare  that  we  have  faith  in  deed :  whereas  the  lack  of 
them  do  argue  the  contrary.  And  therefore  the  scripture 
admonisheth  us,  that  the  judgment  shall  be  according  to  our 
works.  To  this  sense  agreeth  that  in  the  twelfth  of  Matthew, 
where  it  is  said,  "  By  thy  deeds^  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and 
by  the  same  thou  shalt  be  condemned.'"      To  Abraham,  after 

[Gen.  xxii.    ^0  had  determined  to  offer  his  son  Isaac,  it  was  said  :    "Be- 

^^''^■^  cause  thou  hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  spared  thine 
only-begotten  son,  I  will  bless  thee,  and  multiply  thee  ex- 
ceedingly, &c."  But  it  is  manifest  that  God  made  that 
promise  to  Abraham  before  Isaac  was  born ;  yea,  he  made 
it  as  soon  as  Abraham  was  brought  out  of  his  country  :  there- 
fore the  promise  was  not  now  first  of  all  annexed  as  a  reward 
unto  the  works  of  Abraham,  &c. 

How  or  in  Therefoi'G   God  examineth    our  works  according  to  his 

what  sense  o 

^'give^a''^    own  favourable  mercy,  and  not  with  the  extremity  and  rigour 
ouTaolid"*''  of  law ;  and  doth  reward  them  with  infinite  benefits,  because 
works.         ^j^^y  proceed  from  faith  in  Christ,  albeit  that,  for  the  sin 
[1  verse  37 ;  but  BuUingor's  Latin  is  ex  dictis  tuis,  by  thy  words.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND  MERITS.  347 

which  abideth  in  us,  they  be  unpure  and  nothing  meritorious. 
Now  he  doth  hereby  give  us  a  proof  that  he  hath  a  regard 
of  us  and  our  works ;  because,  in  testifying  the  greatness  of 
his  love  toward  us,  he  doth  vouchsafe  so  to  honour  not  only 
us,  but  also  his  own  gifts  in  us,  which  he  of  his  great  good- 
ness hath  graciously  bestowed  upon  us.  Our  bountiful  God 
doth  herein  imitate  the  manner  of  dealing  which  fleshly 
fathers  use  in  this  world  toward  their  children :  for  they 
bestow  gifts  upon  their  children  as  rewards  of  their  well- 
doing, thereby  provoking  them  to  greater  virtues,  when  as 
in  very  deed  all  things  belong  to  the  children  by  right  of 
inheritance;  and  the  true  and  proper  cause  of  this  reward, 
which  the  father  giveth  to  the  child,  is  not  the  obedience  of 
the  son,  but  the  mere  good-will  and  favour  of  the  father. 
Moreover  herein  are  two  things  to  be  observed.  First, 
although  God  doth  after  the  manner  of  men  allure  us  with 
rewards,  draw  us  on  with  gifts,  and  keep  us  in  good  works 
with  manifold  recompences ;  yet  must  not  the  reward  or  re- 
compence  be  the  mark  whereat  the  worker  ought  to  look, 
respecting  rather  his  own  glory  and  commodity  than  the  love 
and  honour  that  he  oweth  to  God,  God  will  be  worshipped 
for  love's  sake  only ;  and  he  will  be  loved  of  mere  good-will, 
and  not  for  the  hope  of  any  reward.  For  as  he  requireth 
a  cheerful  giver,  so  doth  he  look  for  such  an  uncoacted'' 
affection,  voluntary  love,  and  free  good-will,  as  children  do 
naturally  bear  to  their  parents.  The  last  is,  that  our  works, 
which  some  call  merits,  are  nothing  else  but  the  mere  gifts 
of  God.  Now  he  were  a  very  unthankful  person,  which, 
when  of  another  man's  liberality  he  hath  licence  given  to 
occupy  his  land  to  his  best  commodity,  will  at  length  go  about 
to  translate  the  right  thereof  from  the  true  owner,  which 
lent  it  him,  unto  himself.  But  because  I  would  be  loath, 
by  drawing  out  this  treatise  too  far,  to  detain  you  longer 
than  reason  would,  I  will  recite  unto  you,  dearly  beloved,  a 
notable  conference  of  places  in  the  scripture  made  by  St  Au- 
gustine, whereby  ye  may  evidently  understand  and  infer  a 
conclusion,  that  the  rewards  of  good  work?,  or  merits  of  the 
saints,  are  the  very  free  and  mere  grace  of  God. 

Therefore  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  his  book,  De  Gratia  st  Augustine 
et  Libero  Arhitrio,  thus  he  saith :   "John  the  forerunner  of  tou?hing"the 
[2  uncoactcd:  uncompellofl.] 


348  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

merits  of  the  our  Lord  doth  say,  'A  man  can  receive  nothing,  unless  it 

[John  hi.  270  be  givcn  him  from  heaven.'      If  therefore  thy  good  works  be 

the  gifts  of  God,  then  God  crowneth  thy  merits,  not  as  thy 

merits,  but  as  his  own  gifts.      Let  us  therefore  consider  the 

merits  of  the  apostle  Paul,  (that  is  to  say,  the  merits  which 

he  saith  are  in  himself,)  whether  they  be  the  gifts  of  God  or 

[2  Tim.  iv.     rio-     '  I  have,'  saith  he,   '  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  ful- 

'  -•  filled  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith.'      First  of  all,  these 

good  works  had  been  no  good  works,  unless  good  thoughts 

had  gone  before  them.      Give  ear,  therefore,  what  he  sayeth 

[2  Cor.  iii.  5.]  of  those  good  thoughts :  '  not  because  we  can  think  anything 

of  ourselves,  as  of  ourselves,   but    our   ability   is   of  God.' 

Then  also  let  us  consider  every  several  particularity.  *  I  have 

fought,**  saith  he,  '  a  good  fight.'     1  demand,  by  what  power 

he  fought  ?    whether  by  that  which  he  had  of  himself,  or 

by  that  which  was  given  him  from  above  ?     It  is  unlikely 

that  so  great  a  teacher  of  the   Gentiles  as  the  holy  apostle 

St  Paul  was  should  be  ignorant  of  the  law,  which  in  Deu- 

[Dcut  viii.    teronomy  is  heard    to  say:    'Say  not    thou  in  thy  heart, 

17. 18.]        Mine  own  strength  and  the  power  of  mine  own  hand  hath 

done  this  wonderful  thing :  but  thou  shalt  remember  the  Lord 

thy  God,  because  he  giveth  thee  strength  and  power  to  do 

it.'      But  what  doth  it  avail  to  fight  well,  unless  the  victory 

do  ensue  ?     And  who,   I  pray  you,  giveth  the  victory,  but 

[1  Cor.  XV.     he  of  whom  St  Paul  himself  doth  say,  '  Thanks  be  to  God, 

*'^-'  which  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ?' 

And  in  another  place,   when  he  had  cited  the  place  out  of 

the  Psalms,  where  it  is  said,  '  Because  for  thy  sake  we  are 

killed  all  day,   and  are  counted  as  sheep  appointed  to  the 

[Ho.n  viii.    slaughter,'  he  did  immediately  add,  and  say  :    '  But  in  all 

"*''  '^'^  -'        these  things  we  overcome,   or  have  the  victory,  through  him 

which    loved    us.'      We   have    the    victory,    therefore,    not 

through  ourselves,   but   through  him  that  loved  us.      After 

that  again   he  said :   '  I  have  fulfilled  my  course.'     But  as 

Mom.  ix.      he  said  this,  so  in  another  place  also  he  saith  :   '  It  is  not 

of  the  wilier,  nor  of  the  runner,   but  of  God  which  taketh 

mercy.'       Which    sentence    cannot    be    by    any    means    so 

inverted,  that  wc  may  say.  It  is  not  of  God  which  taketh 

mercy,  but  of  the  wilier,  and  of  the  runner.    For  whosoever 

dare  take  upon  him  so  to   invert  that  sentence  of  the  holy 

apostle,  he  doth  openly  shew  that  he  flatly  gainsayeth  the 


IX. J  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MKRITS.  349 

words  of  St  Paul.  Last  of  all  he  said  ;  '  I  have  kept  the 
faith :'  but  in  another  place  again  he  confesseth,  saying, 
*I  have  obtained  mercy  that  I  might  be  faithful.'  He  said  [i  cor.  vu. 
not,  I  have  obtained  mercy  because  I  am  faithful ;  but,  '  that 
I  might  be  faithful  i""  declaring  thereby  that  faith  itself  can- 
not be  obtained  without  the  mercy  of  God  ;  and  that  faith  is 
the  gift  of  God,  as  he  doth  most  evidently  teach  where  he 
saith,  'Ye  are  saved  by  grace  through  faith;  and  that  not  of  [Epi..  iio] 
yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.'  For  they  might  say,  We 
have  therefore  received  grace,  because  we  have  believed ; 
by  that  means  attributing,  as  it  were,  faith  to  themselves, 
and  grace  to  God  :  but,  to  prevent  that  insinuation,  the  holy 
apostle  St  Paul,  when  he  had  said,  '  By  faith,'  doth  straight- 
ways  add,  'And  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.' 
Again,  lest  they  should  say  that  they  by  their  works  did 
meritoriously  deserve  such  a  gift,  he  doth  presently  annex, 
*  Not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.'  Not  because 
he  did  deny  or  make  void  good  works,  considering  that  he 
saith,  that  God  doth  reward  every  man  according  to  his 
works ;  but  for  because  works  are  of  faith,  and  not  faith  of 
works.  And  so  by  this  means  our  works  of  righteousness 
proceed  from  him,  from  whom  that  faith  doth  also  come, 
touching  which  it  is  said,  '  The  just  doth  live  by  faith*.'" 

[1  Dicit  et  Joannes,  prajcursor  Domini  nostri,  Non  potest  homo 
accipere  quicquam,  nisi  fuerit  ei  datum  de  ccelo  ...  Si  ergo  Dei  dona  sunt 
bona  merita  tua,  non  Deus  coronat  merita  tua  tanquam  merita  tua,  sed 
tanquam  dona  sua.  Proinde  consideremus  ipsa  merita  apostoli  Pauli, 
— et  videamuB,  utrum  merita  ipsius,  tanquam  ipsius,  id  est,  ex  ipso  ci 
comparata,  an  dona  sint  Dei.  Bonuni,  inquit,  certamen  certavi,  cursum 
consummavi,  fidem  scrvavi.  Primo,  ista  bona  opera,  si  non  ca  pra;- 
cessissent  cogitationes  bona?,  nulla  essent.  Attendite  itaquo  quid  do 
ipsis  cogitationibus  dicat ;  ait  enim  scribens  ad  Corinthios,  Non  quia 
idonei  sumus  cogitaro  aliquid  a  nobis,  tanquam  a  nobismetipsis,  sed 
Bufficicntia  nostra  ex  Deo  est.  Deindc  singula  inspiciamus :  Bonum, 
inquit,  certamen  certavi.  Qua;ro  qua  virtuto  certaverit,  utrum  qure  illi 
ex  scmetipso  fuerit,  an  qua;  desuper  data  sit  ?  Sed  absit  ut  tantus 
doctor  gentium  ignoraverit  legem  Dei,  cujus  vox  est  in  Dcutcronomio : 
Ne  dicas  in  corde  tuo,  Fortitude  mea  et  potontia  manus  meoc  fecit 
mihi  virtutem  magnam  banc;  sed  memorabcris  Domini  Dei  tui:  quia 
ipse  tibi  dat  fortitudinem  faccre  virtutom.  Quid  autem  prodest  bonum 
certamen,  ni.si  sequatur  victoria?  Et  (juis  dat  victoriam,  nisi  illo  do 
quo  dicit  ipse,  Gratias  Deo  qui  dat  nobis  victoriam  per  Dominum 
nostrum  Jesum  Christum?    Et  alio  loco,  cum  commemorasset  test!- 


350  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

All  this  have  I  hitherto  word  for  word  recited  out  of  St 
Augustine  :  wherein  all  that  may  be  said  concerning  the  merits 
of  good  works  are  sufficiently  well  contained,  and  so  soundly 
confirmed  by  proofs  of  scripture,  that  I  mean  not  to  add  any 
thing  unto  them :  for  I  see  it  sufficiently  manifest  for  all  to 
understand  what  and  how  the  ancient  fathers  thought  and 
taught  of  the  merits  of  sinful  men.  For  what  can  be  said 
more  briefly,  sincerely,  and  fully,  than  that  a  reward  is  pre- 
pared for  the  good  works  of  men  ?  but  yet  that  that  reward  is 
nothing  else  but  the  grace,  and  that  the  merits  or  good  works 
of  the  saints  are  the  gift^  of  God ;  which  merits  while  he 
crowneth,  he  crowneth  his  own  gifts.  In  all  this  therefore 
the  ecclesiastical  and  apostolic  doctrine  remaineth  still  immu- 
table and  unreprovable ;  that  we  are  justified  and  saved  by 
the  grace  of  God^  through  faith,  and  not  through  our  own 
good  works  or  merits. 
Good  works  We  do  now  again  return  to  good  works,  and  are  come  to 
S^cording'tS^  expound  the  description  or  definition  of  good  works  which  we 
gie^word  of   did  set  down  in  the  beginning  of  this  treatise.  Now  therefore, 

monium  cle  psalmo,  Quoniam  propter  te  mortificamur  tota  die,  depu- 
tati  sumus  ut  eves  occisionis ;  subjecit  atque  ait,  Sed  in  his  omnibus 
supervincimus  per  eum  qui  dilexit  nos.  Non  ergo  per  nos,  sed  per 
eum  qui  dilexit  nos.  Deinde  dixit,  Cursum  consummavi.  Sed  ille 
hoc  dixit,  qui  alio  loco  dicit,  Non  volentis,  neque  currentis,  sed  mise- 
rentis  est  Dei.  Quse  sententia  nuUo  modo  potest  etiam  sic  converti  ut 
dlcatur,  Non  miserentis  Dei,  sed  volentis  atque  currentis  est  hominis. 
Quisquis  enim  hoc  ausus  fuerit  dicere,  aperte  se  ostendit  Apostolo  con- 
tradicere.  Postremo  dixit,  Fidem  servavi,  Sed  ille  hoc  dixit  qui 
alibi  ait,  Misericordiam  consecutus  sum  ut  fidelis  essem.  Non  enim 
dixit,  Misericordiam  consecutus  sum,  quia  fidelis  eram ;  sed,  ut  fidelis 
essem:  hinc  ostendens  etiam  ipsam  fidem  haberi  nisi  Deo  miserante 
non  posse,  et  esse  donura  Dei :  quod  apertissime  docct  dicens.  Gratia 
salvi  facti  estis  per  fidem;  et  hoc  non  ex  vobis,  sed  Dei  donum  est. 
Posscnt  enim  dicere,  Ideo  accepimus  gratiam  quia  credidimus,  tan- 
quam  sibi  fidem  tribuentes,  gratiam  Deo :  propter  hoc  Apostolus  cum 
dixisset,  per  fidem,  et  hoc,  inquit,  non  ex  vobis,  sed  Dei  donum  est. 
Rursus,  no  dicercnt  se  suis  operibus  donum  talc  meruisse,  continuo 
subjecit,  Non  ex  operibus,  no  forte  quis  extoUatur:  non  quia  negavit 
aut  evacuavit  opera  bona,  cum  dicat  Deum  unicuique  reddere  secundum 
opera  ejus ;  sed  quia  opera  sunt  ex  fide,  non  ex  operibus  fides ;  ac  per 
hoc  ab  illo  sunt  nobis  opera  justitia?,  a  quo  est  ipsa  fides  de  qua  dictum 
est,  Justus  ex  fide  vivit. — Augustin.  do  Grat.  et  Lib.  Arb.  ad  Valentin. 
0pp.  Par.  1631,  Tom.  vii.  p.  268,  coll.  2,  3,  capp.  6,  7.] 

[1  gratiam,  Lat.]  [-  sola  gratia  Dei,  Lat.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIUBRTY,    WOUKS,    AND   MEKITS.  351 

unless  our  works  do  spring  in  us  from  God  through  faith,  they 
cannot  have  the  name  of  good  works :  but  contrarily,  if 
they  do  proceed  from  God  through  faith,  then  are  they  also 
framed  according  to  the  rule  of  the  word  of  God.  And  for 
that  cause  did  I  in  the  definition  of  good  works  significantly 
say,  that  they  are  done  of  them  which  are  regenerate  by 
the  good  Spirit  of  God,  through  faith,  according  to  the  word 
of  God.  For  God  is  not  pleased  with  the  works  which  we  of 
ourselves  do  of  our  own  brains  and  authority^,  without  war- 
rantise  of  his  word,  imagine  and  devise.  For  the  thing  that  he 
doth  most  of  all  like  and  look  for  in  us  is  faith  and  obedience, 
which  is  most  evident  to  be  seen  in  the  very  example  of  our 
grandfather  Adam  ;  and  contrarily,  he  doth  misliko  and  ut- 
terly reject  the  works  of  our  own  choice  and  our  good  mtents, 
which  spring  in  and  rise  upon  our  own  minds  and  judgments  ; 
as  I  will  by  these  testimonies  of  scripture  declare  unto  you. 

In  the  twelfth  of  Deuteronomy  we  read:  "  Every  man  Deut.xn 
shall  not  do  that  which  is  righteous  in  his  own  eyes.  "What- 
soever I  command  you,  that  shall  ye  observe  to  do  it :  neither 
shalt  thou  add  anything  to  it,  nor  take  anything  from  it." 
Moreover  in  the  liistory  of  Samuel  there  is  a  notable  example 
of  this  matter  to  be  seen.  For  Saul,  the  king  of  Israel, 
received  a  commandment  to  kill  all  the  Amalekites,  with  all 
their  beasts  and  cattle :  but  ho,  contrary  to  the  precept,  through 
a  good  intent  (as  he  thought)  of  his  own,  and  for  a  religious 
zeal's  sake  of  his  own  choosing,  reserved  the  fattest  oxen  for 
to  be  sacrificed  :  and  for  that  cause  the  prophet  came  and  said 
unto  him,  '*  Is  a  sacrifice  so  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  the  r,  ^,„ 
Lord  as  obedience  is  ?  Behold,  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice  ;  ^'  ^^ 
and  to  hearken  is  better  than  the  iat  of  rams.  For  rebellion*  is 
as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and  stubbornness^  is  as  the  vanity  of 
idolatry."  Lo,  here  in  these  few  words  thou  hast  the  goodly 
praise  and  commendation  of  the  religion  of  our  own  inventing, 
and  of  our  own  good  works  which  do  arise  of  our  own  good 
intents  and  purposes,  ^hey  which  do  neglect  the  precepts  of 
the  Lord  to  follow  their  own  good  intents  and  forecasts  are 
flatly  called^  witches,  apostates,  and  wicked  idolaters.     They 

[3  et  intentione  bona,  Lat.  omitted  ;  and  good  intention.] 

[*  apostasia  sivc  rcbcllio,  Lat.] 

[5  vel  nolle  obscqui,  Lat.  omitted  ;  or  unwillingness  to  be  obedient.] 

[0  a  veritato  divina,  Lat.  omitted;  by  the  truth  of  God.] 


13,  14.] 


352  THE    THIRD    DECADE,  [SERM. 

seem  in  their  own  eyes  verily  to  be  jolly  fellows,  and  true 
worshippers  of  God,  and  zealous  followers  of  the  traditions  of 
the  holy  fathers,  bishops,  kings,  and  princes :  but  God,  which 
cannot  lie,  doth  flatly  pronounce  that  their  works  do  differ 
nothing  from  witchcraft,  apostasy,  and  blasphemous  idolatry, 
than  which  there  can  be  nothing  more  heinous  by  any  means 
devised.  Therefore  the  Lord  in  the  gospel,  citing  that  place 
out  of  Esay's  prophecy,  doth  plainly  condemn,  reject,  and  tread 
under  foot  all  those  works  which  we  choose  to  ourselves, 
having  their  beginning  of  our  own  good  intents  and  purposes, 
where  he  saith :  "In  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  doc- 
trines the  precepts  of  men.  Every  planting,  which  my  Fa- 
ther hath  not  planted,  shall  be  plucked  up  by  the  roots.  Let 
them  alone ;  they  be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind."  And  there- 
[Tit.  i.  14.J  upon  it  is  that  St  Paul  did  so  boldly  affirm,  that  the  precepts 
of  men  are  contrary  to  the  truth,  and  are  mere  hes.  The 
[Rom.  xiv.  same  Paul  in  one  place  saith,  "  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is 
23;  X.  1/.]  ^.^  „  ^^^  .^  another  place,  "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  God." 

Whereupon  we  may  gather,  that  the  works  which  are 
not  framed  by  the  express  word  of  God,  or  by  a  sure  conse- 
quence derived  from  it,  are  so  far  from  being  good  works, 
that  they  are  plainly  called  sins.  Enforce  thou,  I  pray  thee, 
never  so  great  a  good  turn  upon  a  man  against  his  will,  and 
see  what  favour  thou  shalt  win  at  his  hand,  and  how  thou 
shalt  please  him  with  that  enforced  benefit.  Therefore  good 
works  do  first  of  all  require  the  precise  and  express  observing 
of  God's  will,  to  which  alone  they  ought  to  tend^  In  his 
epistle  to  the  Colossians  the  same  apostle  doth  openly  condemn 
the  Greek  iOe'XoOprjcrKeiav,  that  is,  the  voluntary  religion 
which  they  of  their  own  choice  and  mind  brought  in  to  be 
observed.  And  what  need  have  we,  I  pray  you,  to  invent  to 
ourselves  other  new  kinds  of  good  works,  considering  that  we 
have  not  yet  done  those  works  which  God  himself^  prescribeth, 
and  doth  in  express  words  require  at  our  hands  ?  By  this 
now  our  adversaries  may  perceive,  that  we  do  not  altogether 
simply  condemn  good  works,  but  those  alone  which  we,  by 
rejecting  the  word  of  God,  do  first  set  abroach  by  .our  own 
imaginations  and  fantastical  inventions :  of  which  sort  are  many 

[1  to  which — tend,  not  in  Lat.] 

[2  jure,  Lat.  omitted;  of  good  right.] 


IX.]  or   CIIUISTIAK   LIBEIITV,    WOUKS,   AND   MliKlTS.  353 

upstart  works  of  our  holy  monks  and  sacrificing  shavelings^. 
But  to  conclude :  the  works  that  are  repugnant  to  the  word 
of  God  are  by  no  means  worthy  of  any  place  or  honour. 

And  that  we  may  more  rightly  perceive  the  sense  or  r;ood  works 
meaning  of  good  works,  we  must  in  mine  opinion  diligently 
observe  these  words  of  the  apostle  :  "  We  arc  created  in  Christ  [^i'^- •>■  i"] 
Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that 
we  should  walk  in  them."  He  maketh  here  two  notes  con- 
cerning those  that  are  good  works  indeed.  The  first  is,  "We 
are,"  saith  he,  "  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works." 
It  doth  therefore  necessarily  follow,  that  good  works  are 
wrought  of  him  which  is  by  true  faith  graffed  in  Christ  Jesu  : 
for  unless  the  branch  abide  in  the  vine,  it  cannot  bring  forth 
fruit.  All  the  works  therefore  of  the  unfaithful,  howsoever 
they  shine  with  the  title  of  righteousness,  are  notwithstanding 
not  good  works  in  very  deed.  The  latter  is,  "  Which  God 
hath  before  ordained,  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  We 
must  not  therefore  make  account,  that  all  the  works  which 
men  may  do  are  to  be  counted  good  works  indeed ;  but  those 
only  which  God  hath  ordained  of  old  that  we  should  walk  in 
them.  Now  what  works  those  be,  the  Lord  in  his  law  (which 
is  the  eternal  will  of  God)  hath  very  plainly  expressed.  And 
thereupon  it  is  that  the  Lord  in  the  gospel,  being  demanded 
questions  concerning  eternal  life  and  the  very  true  virtues, 
sendeth  the  demander  unto  the  law,  and  saith:  "What  is  [Lukex.se.] 
written  in  the  law?"  And  again;  "If  thou  wilt  enter  into  ^i'^tt.  xix. 
life,  keep  the  commandments."  Therefore  the  ten  command- 
ments are  a  most  sure  and  absolute  platform  of  good  works :  The  ten  com- 
which   that  ye  may  the  better  understand,  I  will   briefly  re- a"c'a  i^ia" 

.       ,  "^    ,  •'.  .  .  1  •        ,       P  form  of  good 

capitulate,  and  as  it  were  in  a  picture  lay  it  before  your  «"''^s- 
eyes. 

To  the  first  precept  thou  shalt  refer  the  fear,  the  faith, 
and  love  of  God,  with  assured  hope,  persevering  patience,  and 
constancy  invincible  in  trouble  and  afHictions.  To  the  second 
belongeth  the  true  and  sincere  worship  wherewith  God  is 
pleased,  with  the  utter  refusal  of  all  superstition  and  perverse 
religion.  Upon  the  third  doth  depend  the  reverence  of  God's 
majesty,  the  free  confession  of  his  might,  the  holy  ■*  invocation 
of  his  name,  and  the  sanctification  of  the  same.    In  the  fourth 

[3  monachoruin  ct  sacrificoruni,  Lat.] 

[*  ct  persevcrautcm,  Lat.  omitted;  and  enduring.] 

1  ^^^ 

[nULLINGEK,    11. J 


354  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

is  comprehended  the  moderate  conservation  of  tlie  ecclesiastical 
ceremonies,  the  preaching  of  God's  word,  public  prayers,  and 
■whatsoever  else  doth  belong  to  the  outward  service  or  external 
worship  due  to  God.  To  the  fifth  thou  mayest  annex  the 
natural  love  of  children  toward  their  parents,  of  men  toward 
their  country  and  kinsfolks,  the  due  obedience  that  we  owe 
to  the  magistrates  and  all  in  authority,  and  lastly,  the  offices  of 
civil  humanity.  To  the  sixth  thou  shalt  join  justice  and  judg- 
ment, the  protection  of  widows  and  orphans,  the  dehvering  of 
the  oppressed  and  afflicted,  well-doing  to  all  men,  and  doing 
hurt  to  no  man.  To  the  seventh  thou  shalt  add  the  faith  of 
wedded  couples,  the  offices  of  marriage,  the  honest  and  godly 
bringing  up  of  children,  with  the  study  of  chastity,  temper- 
ance, and  sobriety.  To  the  eighth  is  to  be  reckoned  upright 
dealing  in  contracts,  liberality,  bountifulness,  and  hospitality. 
Under  the  ninth  is  couched  the  study  of  truth  through  all  our 
life-time,  faith  in  words  and  deeds,  with  decent,  honest,  and 
profitable  speech.  In  the  tenth  and  last  thou  mayest  re- 
member good  affections,  holy  wishes,  with  all  holy  and  honest 
thoughts.  And  so  this  is  the  compendious  platform  of  good 
works.  Now  if  thou  desire  to  have  it  more  briefly  expressed 
than  this  that  thou  seest,  then  turn  thyself,  and  hearken  to  the 
words  of  Christ  our  Lord,  who  gathereth  these  ten  into  two 
[Matt.  xxii.  principal  points,  and  saith :  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
vii.^fz'./'"'  .  God  with  all  thy  heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
mind ;  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Whatsoever  therefore 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  even  so  do  ye  to  them." 
What  be  Upou  thcse  prccopts  of  the  Lord  all  the  faithful,  which 

fn  very*deed,  dcsire  to   do  good  works,  must   surely   fix  their    eyes   and 

according  to         .  ,  ,,  ,.,.  ,, 

the  testi-      mmds,  and  that  too  so  much  the  more  diligently  and  con- 

mnnips  of  o  «/ 

stantly  as  they  do  more  surely  and  evidently  perceive  and 
see,  that  God  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  doth  require  nothing 
else  nor  any  other  works  at  the  hand  of  his  elect  and  chosen 
servants.  Go  to  now  therefore,  let  us  hear  out  of  the  holy 
prophets  some  such  evident  testimonies  touching  good  works 
as  do  consent  and  wholly  agree  with  the  law  of  the  Lord. 
Moses  in  Deuteronomy  crietli :  "  And  now,  Israel,  what  doth 
the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  to  love  him,  and  to  serve 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  soul ; 
that  thou  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  his  ordi- 


monies  of 
the  ancient 
prophets. 


Deut.  X. 
[3.] 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN   LIBERTY,    WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  355 

nances,  which  I  command  thee  this  day?"  And  the  kint^ly 
prophet  David  in  the  fifteenth  Psalm  asketh  this  question: 
"Lord,  who  shall  dwell  in  thy  tabernacle?"  and  presently 
answereth  it  himself,  saying :  "  Even  he  that  walketh  up- 
rightly, and  doth  the  thing  that  is  just  and  right ;"  and  so 
forth,  as  it  is  contained  in  the  ten  commandments,  Esay 
also,  in  his  thirty-third  chapter,  moveth  the  same  question, 
and  answercth  it  even  so  as  David  had  done  before  him. 
Jeremy,  in  the  twenty-second  chapter,  doth  urge  and  reiterate 
these  words  to  the  Jews :  "  Thus  the  Lord  commandeth : 
keep  equity  and  righteousness,  deliver  the  oppressed  from  the 
power  of  the  violent,  do  not  grieve  nor  oppress  the  stranger, 
the  fatherless,  nor  the  widow,  and  shed  no  innocent  blood  in 
this  place."  And  Ezechiel,  in  his  eighteenth  chapter,  knitteth 
up  a  beadrow^  of  good  works,  in  no  point  unlike  to  these, 
saving  only  that  it  is  somewhat  more  largely  amplified.  In 
Osee  the  Lord  saith  :  "  I  desire  mercy  ^  more  than  sacrifice,  [Hoseavi.  e.] 
and  the  knowledo;e  of  God  more  than  whole  burnt-ofi'erings." 
Micheas  doth  diligently  inquire  what  the  worshipper  of  God  C^'c-  vi.  a.] 
should  do  to  please  him  witlial,  and  what  works  he  should  do 
to  delight  the  Lord ;  and  immediately,  by  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  he  maketh  answer,  saying :  "  I  will  shew 
thee^,  0  man,  what  is  good ;  and  what  the  Lord  requireth  of 
thee  :  namely,  to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy,  and  with  reverence 
to  walk  before  thy  God."  In  like  manner  the  prophet 
Zachary,  to  them  that  demanded  of  him  certain  questions 
touching  virtues  and  such  good  works  as  please  the  Lord, 
gave  this  answer,  sayinji: :  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  rzech.  vu.  9, 

^  .  ?  1  1       •         1  •     1  lo;  andvUi. 

Execute  true  judgment,  shew  mercy  and  lovmg-kmdness  every  17.] 
man  to  his  brother :  do  the  widow,  the  fatherless,  the  stranger 
and  the  poor,  no  wrong :  let  no  man  imagine  evil  in  his  heart 
against  his  brother :  neither  be  ye  lovers  of  false  oaths  :  for 
these  are  the  things  which  I  do  hate,  saith  the  Lord." 

With  this  doctrine  of  the  prophets  doth  the  preaching  of 
the  evangelists  and  apostles  fully  agree,  teaching  in  every 
place  that  charity,  righteousness,  and  innocency  are  the 
scope  and  sum  of  all  good  works.  The  apostle  James  saith  : 
"Pure  rehgion  and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father  is  [J""!*"- 27.1 

[1  catalogum,  Lat.] 

[2  bcneficentiani,  pictatem  scu  iniscricordiam,  Lat.] 

[3  So  Coverdale's  Bible,  1535,  and  the  Vulgate] 

23—2 


356  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sEKM. 

this,  To  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  adversity,  and 
to  keep  himself  unspotted  of  the  world." 

To  what  end  It  remainetli  now  for  me  to  draw  to  an  end,  and  in  the 

fmi'stbe'  '  rest  that  is  yet  behind  to  be  spoken  touching  the  description 
of  good  works  to  confer  places  of  the  scripture  for  the  confir- 
mation and  plain  exposition  of  the  same.  Now  therefore  we 
said,  that  good  works  indeed  are  wrought  by  them  that  are 
regenerate,  to  the  glory  of  God,  the  ornament  of  our  life,  and 
the  profit  of  our  neighbour.      For  the  Lord  in  the  gospel 

[Matt.  V.  10.]  prescribeth  this  end  to  good  works,  where  he  saith :  "  Let 
your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  The 
apostle  Paul  also  oftener  than  once,  exhorting  us  to  good 
works,  doth,  as  a  most  effectual  cause  to  set  them  forward, 

[Tit.  ii.  10.]  add :  "  That  by  those  works  of  ours  we  may  adorn  the  doc- 
trine of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ  Jesus."  And  even  as  a 
comely  and  cleanly  garment  adorneth  a  man,  so  do  good 
works  indeed  set  forth  the  life  of  christian  people.  For 
hereupon  it  riseth,  that  the  apostles  of  Christ  did  so  often 

[Eph.  iv.  23   persuade  us  to  put  off  the  old  man,  and  put  on  the  new  which 

9. ii>]  is  created  in  the  similitude  and  likeness  of  God.     For  thereby 

we  obtain  both  honour  and  glory ;  we  both  are,  and  are 
called,  the  servants,  yea,  and  the  sons  of  our  Lord  God, 
whose  property  and  virtue  shineth  in  us,  to  the  glory  and 
praise  of  his  holy  name.  And  as  he  doth  require  good  works 
at  our  hands,  so,  if  we  do  them,  we  on  the  one  side  do  please 
and  delight  him,  and  he  on  the  other  doth  honour  us  again : 
as  may  be  proved  by  many  testimonies  of  the  holy  scripture. 
But  the  thing  itself  is  so  plain  and  without  all  controversy,  that 
it  needeth  no  business  to  prove  it  at  all.  He,  verily,  doth  every 
minute  augment  in  us  his  gifts,  while  we  are  intentive  to  do 

nun.  XXV.  good  works  ;  for  in  the  gospel  he  saith  :  "  To  every  one  that 
hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  abound;  and  from  him  that 
hath  not  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he  hath,  and  shall 
be  given  to  him  that  hath."  To  this  also  may  be  added,  that 
God  is  favourable  to  them  that  work  righteousness,  and  doth 
enrich  them  even  with  many  temporal  gifts,  and  at  the  last 
bring  them  to   life  everlasting.      For  the  apostle  Paul  doth 

Bom.  ii.  expressly  say  :  "  God  shall  reward  every  man  according  to 
his  deeds ;  to  them  which,  by  continuing  in  well-doing,  seek 
for  glory,  and  honour,  and  immortality,  eternal  life;"    and 


IX.]  OF   CHRISTIAN  LIBERTY,   WORKS,   AND   MERITS.  .3')7 

again,  "  Glory,  and  honour,  and  peace,  to  every  one  that 
worketh  well:"  although  the  godly  in  all  their  good  works 
do  not  (as  I  told  you  before)  respect  so  much  the  recompence 
and  reward  at  God''s  hand,  as  the  advancement  of  God's  glory, 
the  fulfilling  of  his  will,  and  the  profit  of  our  neighbour.  For 
Paul  saith :  "  Do  all  things  to  the  glory  of  God  :"  and  again, 
"  Let  no  man  seek  his  own,  but  every  one  another's  profit :  [i 
even  as  I  do  in  all  things  please  all  men,  not  seeking  mine 
own  commodity,  but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be 
saved."  Therefore  all  the  godly  do  so  direct  and  temper 
their  works,  that  they  may  please,  delight,  and  honour  God, 
and  profit  many  men ;  for  in  so  doing  they  express,  or  re- 
present, the  nature  of  God,  whose  sons  they  both  are,  and  are 
also  called  ;  for  he  doth  liberally  pour  out  his  benefits  upon 
all  creatures ;  and  therefore  his  sons  are  beneficial  and  bent  to 
do  good  to  all  men. 

Thus  much  had  I  hitherto  to  say  touching  the  nature  or 
property,  cause,  end,  and  effect,  that  is,  the  very  true  and 
right  meaning ^  of  good  works  :  by  which  I  hope  it*^  is  evident 
to  be  perceived,  how  and  in  what  sense  the  Lord  in  the 
scriptures  is  said  to  attribute  the  name  of  righteousness  and 
justification^  unto  the  good  works  of  the  saints  his  servants : 
and  that  true  principle''  of  our  rehgion  remaineth^  firm 
and  unreproveable,  wherein  we  confess  and  hold  that  "  we 
are  justified  by  the  grace  of  God  for  Christ  his  sake  through 
faith,  and  not  for  works."  Now  therefore  there  is  nothing 
more  behind  but  this  only;  for  us  to  make  our  humble  petition 
to  God  for  true  fiiith  in  Christ  our  Lord,  and  that  by  his 
grace  he  will  so  guide  us,  that  we  may  now  in  works  put  that 
in  practice  which  hitherto  we  have  been  taught  in  the  words  of 
this  treatise'' ;  that  is  to  say,  that  we  may  in  good  works 
indeed  express  the  faith  which  we  in  words  profess  that  wc 
have  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.      Amen'. 

[1  ratione,  Lat.]  [2  etiam  illud,  Lat.] 

[3  mercedemque  reddere,  Lat.  omitted;  and  to  render  a  reward.] 
[•*  ortliodoxum  et  primarium  dogma,  Lat.] 
[5  nihilominus,  Lat.  omitted;   notwithstandin<r.] 
[6  dc  l)onis  opcrihus,  Lat.  omitted;  concerning  good  works.] 
[7  The  greater  part  of  this  ninth  Sermon  is  extracted  from  Bul- 
Unger's  treatise,  De  vera  liominis  Christiani  justificationc,  wliich,  dated 
at   Zurich,  August  1543,  forms  the  preface  to  his  Commentary  on  tho 
Gospel  of  St  John.] 


33.] 


358  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 


OF   SIN,  AND   OF  THE   KINDS   THEREOF;    TO  WIT,   OF 
ORIGINAL  AND  ACTUAL  SIN,  AND  OF  SIN  AGAINST 
THE    HOLY    GHOST:     AND    LASTLY,    OF    THE 
MOST     SURE    AND    JUST    PUNISH- 
MENT   OF    SINS. 

THE    TENTH    SERMON. 

We  have  lastly  now  to  discourse  of  sin,  whlcb,  as  I  told 
you,  is  to  be  referred  to  the  treatise  of  the  law.  Of  which 
that  I  may  lawfully,  religiously,  rightly,  and  profitably  speak 
to  the  edifying  of  you  all,  I  shall  desire  you  to  make  your 
humble  prayers  with  me  to  God  the  Father,  in  the  name  of 
Christ  his  Son,  our  gracious  Lord  and  Mediator  ^ 
The  name  of  Siu  is  of  most  men  taken  for  error  ;  for  that,  I  mean, 
uponV^"  whereby  we  do  not  only  err  from  the  thing  which  is  true, 
right,  just  and  good,  but  do  also  follow  and  decline  to  that 
which  is  naught.  The  Latins  derive  their  word  peccatum, 
sin,  of  pellicatus,  whore-hunting  ;  which  is  a  fault  of  wedded 
people  that  are  corrupted  with  the  spirit  of  fornication,  as 
when  men  prefer  harlots  before  their  lawful  wives.  And 
this  definition,  verily,  doth  wonderfully  agree  to  this  present 
treatise.  For  all  we  that  do  believe  are  by  faith  hand-fasted 
to  our  God,  as  to  our  spouse  and  husband :  if  therefore  we 
prefer  other  gods  before  him,  or  choose  rather  to  serve 
them ;  if,  I  say,  we  let  pass  the  true  goods  in  deed,  to 
follow  the  shadow  of  goods,  vain  hopes,  and  the  pernicious 
pleasures  of  this  world ;  then  do  we  sin  indeed,  and  commit 
fornication  against  our  spouse  and  husband'.  But  the 
learned  sort  do  for  the  most  part  put  a  difference  betwixt 
peccatum  and  delictum,  which  both,  in  effect,  do  signify 
sins^ :  but  they  call  that  delictum,  when  the  thing  is  not 
done  that  should  be  done ;  and  that  they  call  p>eccatum, 
when  that  is  done  that  should  be  left  undone.  St  Hierome 
seemeth   to   have  taken  delictum  for  the   first  fall   to  sin'*. 

[1  The  Father — Mediator,  added  by  the  translator.] 

[2  and — husband,  an  addition  of  the  translatoi-'s.] 

[3  ■which — sins,  the  translator's.] 

[*  — quBcrimus  quid  significent  (delicta),  quovc  distent  apcccatis., . 
Aiunt  enim  quod  TrapmrToinaTa  (delicta)  quasi  initia  peccatorum  sint : 
cum  cogitatio  tacita  subrepit,  et  ex  aliqua  parte  conniventibus  nobis, 
necdum  tamen  noa  impulit  ad  ruinam  . . .  Peccatum  vero  esse,  quum 


IX.]  OF    SIN',    AND     OF    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  359 

St  Augustine  sayeth  that  peccatum  is  committed  of  liim 
that  sinneth  -wittingly,  and  delictum  of  him  that  sinnneth  of 
ignorance^.  I  sec  that  those  words  are  in  some  places  con- 
founded, and  that  the  one  is  used  for  the  other.  In  some 
places  the  error,  or  delicttim,  is  used  as  the  milder  term ; 
peccatum,  in  a  more  grievous  sense ;  and  an  heinous  crime, 
a  mischief,  a  revolting  or  wickedness,  for  the  greatest  of  all^. 
For  St  Augustine  saith  :  "Neither  is  avev^  peccatum  crimen"* , 
because  every  crimen  is  peccatum."  Therefore  we  say,  that  , 
the  life  of  a  man^  living  in  this  transitory  world  may  be 
found  to  be  without  that  heinous  offence,  crimen,  for  which 
all  the  world  doth  cry  out  upon  and  accuse  him^:  but  "if  we 
say  we  have  nullum  peccatum,  no  sin,"  (as  the  apostle  saith,)  [Uohni.  8.] 
"  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Among 
the  Hebrews  sin  is  called  by  sundry  names,  which  do  import 
and  signify  overthwartness,  perverseness,  a  fault,  an  error, 
a  revolting,  infirmity,  vice,  ignorance,  and  transgression. 
For  to  transgress  doth  signify  to  depart  from  the  truth  ^^ 
from  our  duty  or  office,  not  to  keep  the  right  path,  but  to 
turn  away  from  the  prescript  rule  of  the  law  of  God.  Now 
that  rule,  or  law  of  God,  is  of  the  Hebrews  called  Thora, 
that  is  to  say,  a  direction,  or  a  leading  by  the  hand'^ ;  for 
it  doth  direct  a  man  in  the  ways  that  are  acceptable  to  the 
Lord :  and  therefore  the  Greeks  call  sin  by  the  names  of 
ai'o/jLia  Kal  irapavo^ua.  Again,  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  sin 
is  as  much  to  say  as  a  turning  away  from  good  to  evil ; 
also  a  revolting,  as  when  thou  drawest  thy  neck  from  out  of 
the  yoke  of  his  power  to  whom  thou  art  a  servant :  finally, 
it  signifieth  the  crime  or  guilt  whereby  we  endanger  our- 
selves to  the  rod  of  punishment. 

quid  opere  consummatum  porvenit  ad  fincm. — Ilieron.  Comment,  in 
Ep.  ad  Ephes.  cap.  2,  Tom.  iv.  col.  338,  Par.  1706.] 

[*  Potest  ctiam  vidcri  illud  esse  delictum  quod  imprudenter,  id  est, 
ignoranter;  illud  peccatum  quod  ab  sciento  committitur. — Aug.  Quacst. 
sup.  Levit.  cap.  20,  0pp.  Tom.  iv.  fol.  43,  col.  2,  Par.  1531.] 

[6  Crimen  vero,  scelus,  defectionem  et  impictatem  multo  gravis- 
eimam,  Lat. ;  but  crimen  for  heinous  wickedness,  &c.] 

[7  Nequo  enim  quia  peccatum  est  omno  crimen,  idco  crimen  est 
etiam  omno  peccatum. — Aug.  Enchir.  ad  Laurent,  cap.  64,  0pp.  Tom, 
in.  fol.  37,  col.  4.] 

[8  sanctorum  hominum,  Lat. ;  of  saints.] 

[9  for  which — accuse  him,  added  by  the  translator.] 

[!•>  a  recto,  Lat.]  [!•  See  Decade  i.  Serm.  i.  p.  49.] 


S60  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Verily  St  Augustine  taketh  much  pains  to  find  out  a 
proper  definition  of  sin.  In  his  second  book  De  Consensu 
Evangelistarum  he  saith  :  "  Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the 
law\"  Ad  SimpHcianum,  Lib.  i. :  "Sin  is  an  inordinateness 
or  perverseness  of  man ;  that  is,  a  turning  from  the  more 
excellent  Creator,  and  a  turning  to  the  inferior  creatures-." 
De  Fide  contra  Manichceos,  cap.  8,  he  saith  :  "  What  is 
it  else  to  sin,  but  to  err  in  the  precepts  of  truth,  or  in  the 
truth  itself 3?"  Again,  Contra  Faustum  Manichceum,  Lib. 
XXII.  cap.  27  :  "  Sin  is  a  deed,  a  word,  or  a  wish,  against 
the  law  of  God^."  The  same  Augustine,  De  duahus  ani- 
mahus  contra  3Ianichceos,  cap.  11,  saith  :  "  Sin  is  a  will  to 
retain  or  obtain  that  which  justice  forbiddeth,  and  is  not  free 
to  abstain^."  And  In  Retract.  Lib.  i.  cap.  15,  he  saith : 
"  That  will  is  a  motion  of  the  mind,  without  compulsion, 
either  not  to  lose  or  else  to  obtain  some  one  thing  or 
others." 

All  which  definitions  as  I  do  not  utterly  reject,  so  do  I 
wish  this  to  be  considered  and  thought  of  with  the  rest : 
Sin  is  the  natural  corruption  of  mankind,  and  the  action 
which  ariseth  of  it  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  whose 
wrath,  that  is,  both  death  and  sundry  punishments,  it  bringeth 
upon  us.  Thou  hearest  how  well  this  definition  doth  consist 
upon  his  parts.  Thou  hearest  in  it  of  our  natural  corrup- 
tion ;  in  the  naming  whereof  appeareth,  how  this  definition 

[1  Porro  peccatum  est  legis  transgressio. — Aug.  de  Consens.  Evang. 
Lib.  II.  cap.  4,  Tom.  iv.  fol.  85,  col.  4.] 

[2  Est  autem  peccatum  hominis  inordinatio  atque  perversitas ;  id 
est,  a  praistantiore  conditore  aversio,  et  ad  condita  inferiora  conversio. 
—Id.  ad  Simplic.  Lib.  i.  Tom.  iv.  fol.  135,  col.  3.] 

[3  Peccare  enim  quid  aliud  est,  nisi  in  veritatis  prseeeptis,  vel  in 
ipsa  errare  veritate  ? — Id.  de  Fide  con.  Manich.  cap.  8,  Tom.  vi.  fol. 
117,  col.  4.] 

\}  Ergo  peccatum  est  factum,  vel  dictum,  vel  concupitum  aliquid 
contra  ajternam  legem. — Id.  cont.  Faust.  Manicli.  Lib.  xxn.  cap.  27, 
Tom.  VI.  fol.  84.  col.  1.] 

[5  Ergo  peccatum  est  voluntas  retinendi  vel  consequendi  quod  jus- 
titia  vetat,  et  unde  (Bullinger  reads,  et  non,  probably  by  mistaking  the 
abbreviation  in  old  copies  et  un.)  liberum  est  abstinere  — Id.  de  duab. 
anim.  cont.  Manich.  cap.  11,  Tom.  vi.  fol.  32,  col.  2.] 

[c  Ipsam  voluntatem  definivi  dicens:  Voluntas  est  animi  motup, 
cogente  nuUo,  ad  aliquid  vel  non  amittendum  vel  adipiscendum. — Id. 
Retract.  Lib.  I.  cap.  15,  Tom.  I.  fol.  5,  col.  3.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    OF    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  3G1 

doth  not  agree  to  the  sin  of  our  first  parents,  in  whom  there 
vras  no  natural  corruption  :  of  which  I  mean  to  speak  in 
place  convenient.  Thou  hcarest  the  action  named,  which 
ariseth  of  the  natural  corruption,  and  is  repugnant  to  the 
law  of  God.  Thou  hearest  that  sin  doth  bring  upon  us  the 
wrath  of  God,  that  is,  death  and  sundry  sorts  of  punish- 
ments appointed  by  the  mouth  of  God  to  plague  us  for  our 
sins.  Of  whicli  I  will  speak  in  order  as  they  lie,  so  far 
forth  as  the  Lord  shall  give  me  grace  and  ability. 

Now  therefore  it  seemeth  that  this  treatise  may  most  ti.c  cause  or 
aptly  be  begun  at  the  discussing  of  the  original  cause  and  sin*'.'""'"^ " 
beginning"  of  sin.  Some  there  be  that  do  derive  the  original 
cause  of  evil  or  sin  from  the  influence  of  the  planets,  say- 
ing, "  I  sinned,  because  I  was  born  under  an  unlucky 
planet."  Other  there  are,  which,  when  they  sin  and  are 
rebuked  for  it,  do  make  this  answer :  "  Not  I,  but  the  devil 
is  in  fiiult,  that  I  have  committed  this  grievous  crime."  And 
sometime,  laying  aside  all  excuses,  they*^  do  directly  cast 
the  blame  upon  God,  and  say :  "  Why,  God  would  that  it 
should  be  so ;  for  if  he  would  not  have  had  it  so,  I  had 
not  sinned."  Another  saith ;  "  Since  God  could  have  letted 
it,  and  would  not,  he  is  the  cause  and  author  of  my  sin." 
But  it  is  no  new  thing  now  that  men  do  whet  their  blas- 
phemous tongues  against  God,  the  maker  and  ruler  of  all 
things ;  for  our  first  parents,  when  they  had  sinned  and 
were  accused  of  it  by  God  himself,  found  a  shift  for  to 
translate  the  sin,  which  they  committed,  from  themselves  to 
other,  and  would  not  confess  the  truth  as  it  was  in  very 
deed.  Such  is  the  abominable  wickedness  of  man.  For 
Adam,  as  it  were,  answering  God  overthwartly,  castcth  the 
fault  of  his  offence,  not  only^  upon  his  wife  which  God  had 
coupled  unto  him,  but  also  upon  God  himself.  "  The  woman,"  [oen.  iii  u] 
saith  he,  "  whom  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  gave  me  of 
the  tree'",  and  I  did  eat."  As  if  he  should  have  said  :  If 
thou  liadst  not  given  me  the  woman,  I  had  not  sinned.  But 
the  Lord  coupled  him  to  a  wife,  not  to  the  end  that  slio 
should  be  an  occasion  of  evil,  but  that  the  man  miglit  be  in 

[7  et  auctoro,  Lat.  omitted  ;   anil  author.] 

[8  homines,  Lat. ;  men.] 

['J  non  tarn — quam,  Lat.;  not  so  much  upon  hi.s  wife,  as  upon  God.] 

[10  dedit  mihi  pomum,  Lat. ;  gave  mc  the  apple.] 


362  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

tl  e  better  case  and  condition.  Again,  the  woman  doth 
simply  impute  the  cause  of  that  evil  unto  the  devil,  saying  : 
"  The  serpent  beguiled  me,  and  I  did  eat."  Lo,  these  are 
most  corrupt,  false,  wicked,  and  detestable  opinions  touching 
the  original  cause  of  sin,  wherewith  the  justice  and  truth  of 
of  man^s'^not  ^rod  is  mightily  offended.  Neither  is  the  nature  of  man 
^he.cau^e  ^y^Q  cause  of  sin.  For  God,  -which  created  all  things,  did 
also  create  the  nature  of  man,  and  made  it  good,  even  as 
all  things  else  which  he  created  were  also  good^  Therefore 
the  nature  of  man  was  good.  For  it  is  an  accidental  qua- 
lity that  happened  to  man  either  in,  or  immediately  after, 
his  fall,  and  not  a  substantial  property,  to  have  his  nature 
so  spotted  with  corruption  as  now  it  is^  Now  we,  being 
born  in  sin  of  sinful  progenitors,  have  sin  by  descent  as 
our  natural  property ;  for  St  Augustine,  writing,  De  Fide 
contra  Manichceos,  cap.  9,  saith  :  "  And  if  we  say  that  any 
men  are  evil  by  nature,  we  mean,  that  they  are  so  because 
of  the  original  descent  of  our  first  parents'  sin,  wherein  we 
mortal  men  are  wholly  born^."  But  this  now  requireth  a 
more  exact  and  ample  declaration. 
The  devil  That  the  devil  alone  is  not  the  author  of  sin,  so  that, 

thecause      whcu  WO  sin,  the  blame  thereof  should  redound  to  him,  and 

oism. 

we  that  sinned  escape  without  fault,  this  doth  greatly  argue ; 
because  it  is  in  his  power  to  egg  and  persuade,  but  not 
to  enforce  a  man  to  do  evil.  For  God  by  his  power  restrain- 
eth  the  devil  from  being  able  to  do  the  thing  that  he  would 
do  :  he  can  do  no  more  than  God  permitteth  him  to  do.  For  if 
he  had  no  power  over  an  herd  of  filthy  swine,  how  much  less 
authority  hath  he  over  the  excellent  souls  of  God's  most  excel- 
lent creatures !  He  hath,  I  confess,  great  subtilties,  and  more 
than  rhetorical  force,  Avherewith  to  persuade  us :  but  God  is 
stronger,  and  never  ceaseth  to  prompt  good  and  wholesome 
counsels  unto  the  souls  of  his  faithful  servants.  Neither  doth 
he  permit  more  to  Satan  than  is  for  our  commodity :  as  is  to 
be  seen  in  the  example  of  that  holy  man,  the  patient  Job  ;  and 

[1  vaklo  bona,  Lat.  ;  very  good.] 

[2  mox  ab  initio  talis  qualis  nunc  est  indita,  Lat. ;  which  is  even 
from  tho  first  imparted  so  as  it  now  is.] 

[3  Scd  et  si  aliquos  naturalitor  dicimus  malos,  propter  originem 
veteris  peccati  dicimus,  in  quo  jam  nostra  mortalitas  nascitur. — August. 
de  Fide  cent.  Manich.  cap.  9,  0pp.  Tom.  vi.  fol.  117,  col.  4.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    OF    THE    KINDS    THEUEOF.  3G3 

also  in  the  example  of  Paul,  2  Cor.  xii.,  and  in  his  words,  say- 
ing, "  God  is  faithful,  which  will  not  suffer  us  to  be  tempted 
above  that  wo  are  able  to  bear^"  They  therefore  are  vainly 
seduced,  which  cast  the  fault  of  their  sin  upon  the  devil's 
shoulders. 

To  proceed:  if  thou  demandest  of  them  which  lay  the  That dotiny 
blame  of  their  sin  upon  their  evil  destiny,  what  destiny  is?  cause  of  iin. 
they  will  answer,  either  that  it  is  a  course  knit  together  by 
eternity  and  linked  to  itself,  as  it  were  a  certain  chain  and 
continual  row  of  counsels  and  works  necessarily  following  one 
upon  another's  neck  according  to  the  disposition  and  ordi- 
nance of  God ;  or  else  that  it  is  the  evil  stars  or  planets. 
Kow,  if  thou  demandest  again,  who  made  the  stars  ?  they  have 
none  other  answer  but  God  :  it  followeth  therefore,  conse- 
quently, that  they  enforce  the  cause  of  their  sin  upon  God 
himself.  But  all  the  ancient  and  best  philosophers  did  never 
pretend  or  allege  destiny,  much  less  such  Christians  as  did 
freely  confess  the  mighty  power  of  their  God  and  INIaker^. 
And  even  among  our  men,  I  mean,  among  them  that  would 
seem  to  be  Christians,  they  which  stood  in  the  opinion  of  destiny 
and  constellations,  were  such  kind  of  fellows  as  wise  men 
would  be  ashamed  to  follow  them  as  authors.  Bardesanes^ 
imputed  to  destiny  the  conversations  of  mortal  men.  And 
the  Priscillianists,  who  were  condemned  in  the  first  council 
held  at  Toledo,  thought  and  taught  that  man  is  tied  to  fatal 
stars,  and  hath  his  body  compact  according  to  the  twelve 
signs  in  heaven,  placing  Aries  in  the  head,  Taurus  in  the 
neck,  and  so  consequently  to  every  sign  his  several  limbs  ^   St 

[*  1  Cor.  X.  13,  vos— potestis,  Lat.] 

[5  as  did — maker,  not  in  Lat.] 

[<5  Bardcsancs  was  a  Syrian,  of  Edessa,  and  lived  in  the  second 
century  of  the  Christian  era.  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  30. 
Mosheim,  Eccles.  Hist.  Book  i.  cent.  2,  part  2,  chap.  5,  ^^  8.] 

["  Astruunt  ctiam  (Priscillianistoe)  fatalibus  stoUis  homines  colli- 
gatos,  ipsumque  corpus  nostrum  secundum  duodecim  sijrna  cceli  esse 
compositum,sicut  hi  qui  mathomatici  vulgo  appellantur:  constituentes 
in  capite  arietem,  taurum  in  cervice,  geminos  in  humeris,  cancnmi  in 
pcctoro;  ct  cetera  nominatim  signa  percurrcntes,  ad  plantas  usquo 
pervcniunf,  &c. — August,  do  IFocrel  cap.  70,  0pp.  Tom.  vi.  fol.  Ci,  col. 
4.  Priscillian  lived  in  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century,  in  Spain. 
Mosheim,  Eccles.  Hist.  Book  n.  Cent.  4,  part  2,  chap.  5,  §§  21,  22. — 
The  first  council  of  Toledo  was  held  A.n.  40r>  1 


364:  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Augustine,  In  opuscido  lxxxiii,  qucestionum,  Qucest.  45,  con- 
futing soundly  the  destinies  of  planets,  among  other  his  reasons 
Against        saith  :  "  The  conceivino;  of  twins  in  the  mother's  womb,  because 

destiny.  .      .  ,       ,  ° 

it  IS  made  m  one  and  the  same  act,  as  the  physicians  testify 
(whose  discipline  is  far  more  certain  and  manifest  than  that  of 
the  astrologers),  doth  happen  in  so  small  a  moment  of  time, 
that  there  is  not  so  much  time  as  two  minutes  of  a  minute 
betwixt  the  conceiving  of  the  one  and  the  other.  How  there- 
fore Cometh  it,  that  in  twins  of  one  burden  there  is  so  great  a 
diversity  of  deeds,  wills,  and  chances,  considering  that  they  of 
necessity  must  needs  have  one  and  the  same  planet  in  their 
conception,  aud  that  the  mathematicals  do  give  the  constella- 
tion of  them  both  as  if  it  were  but  of  one  man'  ?  "  To  these 
■words  of  St  Augustine  great  light  may  be  added,  if  you  annex 
to  them  and  examine  narrowly  the  example  of  Esau  and 
Jacob's  birth  and  sundry  dispositions.  The  same  Augustine, 
writing  to  Boniface  against  two  epistles  of  the  Pelagians,  Lib. 
II.  cap.  6,  saith :  "  They  which  affirm  that  destiny  doth  rule, 
■will  have  not  only  our  deeds  and  events,  but  also  our  very 
■wills,  to  depend  upon  the  placing  of  the  stars  at  the  time 
■wherein  every  man  is  either  conceived  or  born,  which  placing 
they  are  wont  to  call  constellations.  But  the  grace  of  God 
doth  not  only  go  above  all  stars  and  heavens,  but  also  above 
the  very  angels  themselves.  Moreover  these  disputers  for 
destiny  do  attribute  to  destiny  both  the  good  and  evil  that 
happen  to  men.  But  God,  in  the  evils  that  fall  upon  men, 
doth  duly  and  worthily  recompense  them  for  their  ill  deserts : 
but  the  good,  which  they  have,  he  doth  bestow  upon  them  not 
for  their  merits,  but  of  his  own  favour  and  merciful  goodness 
through  grace,  that  cannot  be  looked  for  of  duty  ;  laying  both 
good  and  evil  upon  us  men  not  through  the  temporal  course 
of  planets,  but  by  the  deed  and  eternal  counsel  of  his  severity 
and  goodness.     So  then  we  see  that  neither  the  falling  out  of 

[1  Conceptus  autem  geminorum,  quoniam  uno  concubitu  effieitur 
attcstantibus  medicis,  quorum  disciplina  multo  est  certior  atque  mani- 
festior,  tarn  parvo  puncto  temporis  contingit,  ut  in  duas  minutas  nii- 
nutarum  non  tendatur.  Undo  ergo  in  geminis  tanta  diversitas  actionum 
et  eventuum  ot  voluntatum,  quos  nccesse  est  eandeni  constellationeiu 
conceptionalem  habere,  et  amborum  unam  constellationem  dare  mathe- 
maticos,  tanquam  unius  bominis? — Lib.  do  divers,  qucest.  83.  quoest. 
45,  Tom.  IV.  fob  IIG,  cob  4.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    OF    THE    KINDS    THEKEOF.  305 

good  or  evil  hath  any  relation  unto  the  planets-."  Therefore 
this  place  may  be  concluded  with  the  words  of  the  Lord  in 
the  prophet  Jeremy,  saying:  "Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Ye  shallfJ"- »•  2, 3. 
not  learn  after  the  manner  of  the  heathen,  and  ye  shall  not  be 
afraid  for  the  tokens  of  heaven ;  for  the  heathen  are  afraid  of 
such.  Yea,  all  the  observations  of  the  Gentiles  arc  vanity  3." 
For  the  planets  have  no  force  to  do  either  good  or  evil. 
And  therefore  the  blame  of  sins  is  not  to  be  imputed  thereunto. 
I  have  now  to  prove  unto  you,  that  God  is  not  the  cause 
of  sin,  or  the  author  of  evil.   "  God,"  say  they,  "  would  have  it  "^io'i  i»not 

•^  "^  the  author 

SO.  For  if  he  would  not  have  had  it  so,  I  had  not  sinned ;  for  "^  evu. 
who  may  resist  his  power?"  Again,  "Since  he  could  have 
letted  it,  and  would  not,  he  is  the  author  of  my  sin  and 
wickedness."  As  though  we  knew  not  the  crafty  quarrels 
and  subtle  shifts  of  mortal  men.  Who,  I  pray  you,  knoweth 
not,  that  God  doth  not  deal  with  us  by  his  absolute  power, 
but  by  an  appointed  law  and  ordinance ;  I  mean,  by  commo- 
dious means  and  a  probable  order*?  God  could,  I  know,  by 
his  absolute  power  keep  off  all  evil ;  but  yet  he  neither  can 
nor  will  either  corrupt  or  mar  his  creature  and  excellent 
order.  He  dealeth  with  us  men  therefore  after  the  manner 
of  men  :  he  appointeth  us  laws,  and  layeth  before  us  rewards 
and  punishments :  he  commandeth  to  embrace  the  good  and 
eschew  the  evil ;  to  the  performing  whereof  he  doth  neither 
deny  us  his  grace,  without  which  we  can  do  nothing ;  neither 

[2  Fatum  quippe  qui  affirmant,  de  siderum  positiono  ad  tempus  quo 
concipitur  quisque  vel  nascitur,  quas  constellationes  vocant,  non  solum 
actus  et  eventa,  verum  etiam  ipsas  nostras  voluntates,  pendero  con- 
tendunt.  iJei  vero  gratia  non  solum  omnia  sidcra  et  omnes  coelos, 
verum  etiam  omnes  angelos  supergrcditur.  Deiiide  fati  assertores  et 
bona  et  mala  hominum  fato  tribuunt:  Deus  autem  in  malis  homlnum 
merita  corum  debita  retributione  pcrsequitur,  bona  vero  perindcbitam 
gratiam  miscricordi  voliintatc  largitur ;  utrumque  faciens  non  per 
stellarum  temporalc  consortium,  sed  per  suaj  sevcritatis  et  bonitatis 
a'ternum  altumque  consilium.  Neutrum  ergo  pertinero  videmus  ad 
fatum. — Id.  cont.  duas  cpist.  Pelag.  ad  Bonifac.  Lib.  11.  cap.  G,  Tom. 
VII.  fol.  182,  col.  2.] 

[3  Ergo  (juod  sidus  Saturni  inclemcns  ct  aspcrum  vel  crudele,  Ve- 
neris bcnignum  ct  mite  ab  astrologis  appellatur,  vanitas  est  vanitatum, 
omitted ;  tberefore,  that  the  star  of  Saturn  is  called  by  astrologers 
unkind  and  harsh  or  cruel,  and  the  star  of  Venus  kindly  and  mild, 
is  vanity  of  vanities.] 

[•*  legitirao,  Lat.] 


things  good 
which  f 
created. 


366  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

doth  he  despise  our  diligent  good-will  and  earnest  travail. 
Herein  if  man  be  slack,  the  negligence  and  fault  is  imputed  to 
man  himself,  and  not  to  God,  although  he  could  have  kept  off 
the  sin^  and  did  not;  for  it  was  not  his  duty  to  keep  it  off, 
lest  peradventure  he  should  disturb  the  order  and  destroy 
the  work  which  he  himself  had  made  and  ordained.  There- 
fore God  is  not  the  author  of  sin  or  naughtiness.  Touching 
.  which  matter  I  will  first  add  some  '^  testimonies  of  the  holy 
scripture ;  then  answer  to  sundry  objections  of  the  adversaries 
of  this  doctrine ;  and  lastly  declare  the  original  cause  or  head- 
spring of  sin  and  wickedness. 
God  being  The  testimonies  which  teach  that  God  is  not  the  author 

created  all     of  siu  or  naug-htiuess  are  many  in  number:  but  among  the 

thinorc  anni\  O  </  O    _ 

rest  this  is  an  argument  of  greatest  force  and  probability, 
because  God  is  said  to  be  good  naturally  ;  and  that  all  which 
he  created  were  made  good^  in  their  creation.     Whereupon  it 
[wisd.  i.  13   is  that  Solomon*  saith  :  "  God  hath  not  made  death  ;  neither 

— lo.J 

hath  he  delight  in  the  destruction  of  the  living  :  for  he  created 
all  things,  that  they  might  have  their  being ;  and  the  begin- 
nings of  the  world  were  healthful ;  and  there  is  no  poison  of 
destruction  in  them,  nor  the  kingdom  of  hell  upon  the  earth  : 
for  righteousness  is  immortal,  (but  unrighteousness  bringeth 
death^:)  and  the  ungodly  call  it  to  them  both  with  words  and 
works,  and  thereby  come  to  nought :"  and  so  forth,  as  is  to 
be  seen  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  book  of  Wisdom ;  which 
words  do  passingly  agree  with  the  first  chapter^  of  that  most 
excellent  prophet  Moses. 

In  the  fifth  psalm  David  saith :  "  Thou  art  the  God  that 
hast  no  pleasure  in  wickedness :  neither  shall  any  evil  dwell 
with  thee.  The  unjust  shall  not  stand  in  thy  sight :  for  thou 
hatest  all  them  that  work  iniquity.  Thou  shalt  destroy  them 
that  speak  leasing :  the  Lord  doth  abhor  both  the  bloodthirsty 
and  deceitful  man."  Lo,  thou  canst  devise  nothing  more 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  God  than  sin  and  naughtiness :  as 

\}  potentia  sua,  Lat.  omitted  ;  by  his  power.] 

[2  clara,  Lat.  omitted ;  clear,]  [^  valde  bona,  Lat.] 

[4  sapiens  ille,  Lat. ;  the  wise  man.      Bullinger  says  not  Solomon. 

Cf.  Vol.  I.  p.  225,  note  12.] 

[5  This  parenthesis  is  not  in  BuUingcr's  Latin,  nor  in  the  Septua- 

gint,  nor  Vulgate,  nor  Auth.  Ver. ;  but  it  is  in  Coverdale's  Bible,  1635.] 
[6  cum  primis  capitibus,  Lat.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    OF    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  3()7 

thou  maycst  more  at  large  perceive  in  the  thirty-fourth  chap- 
ter of  the  book  of  Job. 

The  wise  man  saith  :  "  God  created  man  good  ;  but  thej  rEcdw.  %■ 
sought  out  many  inventions  of  their  own."  And  therefore  the  ' 
apostle  PauF  dcriveth  sin,  damnation,  and  death,  not  from 
God,  but  from  Adam  ;  and  from  God  he  fetcheth  grace,  for- 
giveness, and  life,  through  the  mediator  Jesus  Christ.  That 
place  of  Paul  is  far  more  manifest  than  that  it  necdcth  any 
large  exposition :  let  it  not  only  be  considered  and^  diligently 
weighed  of  the  readers  and  hearers;  whom  I  would  wish 
always  to  bear  in  mouth  and  mind  the  very  words  and 
meaning  of  this  notable  sentence^ :  "  Even  as  by  one  man  sin 
entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin:"  and  so  forth  as 
followeth. 

The  same  apostle  in  the  seventh  to  the  Ilomans  doth 
evidently  declare  that  the  law  is  holy,  the  commandment 
good  and  just ;  and  thereby  he  doth  insinuate,  that  in  God  or 
in  his  will  there  is  not,  and  in  his  law,  which  is  the  will  of 
God,  there  springeth  not,  any  spot  or  blur  of  sin  or  naughti- 
ness. In  our  flesh,  saith  he,  the  evil  lurketh,  and  out  of 
us  iniquity  ariseth.  "  I  know,"  saith  he,  "  that  in  me,  that  is 
in  my  flesh,  there  is  no  good."  In  that  chapter  there  are 
many  sentences  to  be  found  which  do  wonderfully  confirm 
this  argument. 

Again,  in  the  third  to  the  Romans  the  same  apostle  saith  : 
"  If  our  unrisrhteousness  setteth  forth  the  righteousness  of  Rom.  iii. 
God,  what  shall  we  say  ?  Is  God  unrighteous  which  taketh 
vengeance?  (I  speak  after  the  manner  of  men;"  that  is,  I 
use  the  words  of  wicked  people;)  "  God  forbid  :  for  how  then 
shall  God  judge  the  world  ?  For  if  the  truth  of  God  hath 
more  abounded  through  my  lie  unto  his  glory ;  why  am  I  as 
yet  judged  as  a  sinner  ?""  &c.  Yerily,  if  God  were  the  author 
of  sin  and  all  evil,  and  that  he  would  have  the  wicked  to  be 
such  as  in  very  deed  they  arc,  then  why,  I  pray  you,  should 
he  judge  or  punish  them  as  transgressors,  since  they  by  sin- 
ning fulfilled  his  will  ? 

[*"  ad  Roma.  5  cap.,  Lat.] 

[8  rather,  but:— But  cd.  1577  has,  let  it  only  be  considered  and 
diligently,  &c.] 

[9  The  translator  has  hero  paraphrased  Bullinger's  one  word. 
Fecita.l 


ri  Jnhni 
15-17.] 


368  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

To  this  place  also  doth  belong  that  testimony  of  the 
blessed  evangelist  and  apostle  John,  in  his  canonical  epistle, 
where  he  saith  :  "  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the 
Father  is  not  in  him.  For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  as  the 
lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride 
of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  of  the  world.  And  the 
world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof:  but  he  that  fulfilleth 
the  will  of  the  Father  ^  abideth  for  ever."  Lo  here,  God  is 
utterly  free  from  all  evil :  evil,  saith  he,  is  not  of  the  Father, 
but  of  the  world.  And  he  which  doeth  the  will  of  the  Father  ^ 
doeth  not  what  the  world  will,  but  what  God  will.  Therefore 
these  two,  good  and  evil,  sin  and  the  will  of  God,  are  directly 
opposed  and  repugnant  the  one  against  the  other.  These 
testimonies,  though  few  in  number,  are  notwithstanding,  in 
my  judgment,  sufficiently  significant  and  able  to  persuade 
a  godly-disposed  hearer. 

Now  upon  this  we  do  first  infer  a  conclusion,  and  boldly 
warrant  that  point  of  Catholic  doctrine,  which  hath  ever 
since  the  apostles'  time  always  been  defended  with  much 
diligence  against  the  unpure  philosophy  of  some,  (although 
yet  I  do  not  utterly  condemn  all  the  parts  of  philosophy, 
knowing  very  well  that  some  points  thereof  are  very  neces- 
sary and  profitable  to  the  zealous  lovers  of  God  and  godli- 
ness,) that  God  is  not  the  author  of  evil,  or  cause  of  sin. 
The  true  Then  out  of  the  same  testimonies  we  gather,  that  the  original 
cause  of  sin  or  evil  is  derived  of  man  himself,  and  his  sug- 
gester  and  provoker,  the  devil  :  so  yet  that  we  say,  that  the 
devil,  being  first  himself  corrupted,  did  corrupt  man,  being 
nevertheless  not  able  of  himself  to  have  done  anything,  had 
not  man  of  his  own  accord  consented  unto  evil. 

And  here  we  must  set  before  our  eyes  the  fall  of  our 
first  father  Adam,  that  by  the  consideration  thereof  we  may 
be  the  better  able  to  judge  of  the  original  cause  of  sin  and 
iniquity. 

God  created  Adam,  the  first  father  of  us  all,  according 
to  his  own  similitude  and  hkeness ;  that  is  to  say,  he  made 
him  good,  most  pure,  most  holy,  most  just,  and  immortal, 
and  adorned  him  with  every  excellent  gift  and  faculty,  so 
that  there  was  nothing  wanting  to  him  in  God,  which  was 
available  to  perfect  felicity.  Touching  this  similitude  or 
[I  Dei,  Lat.] 


cause  of  sin 
or  e 


X.]  or    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEHKOF.  3G9 

likeness  to  God  I  shall  take  occasion  upon  the  words  of  Paul 
to  speak  hereafter.  So  then  he  was  endued  Avitli  a  very 
divine,  pure,  and  sharp  understanding.  His  will  was  free, 
without  constraint,  and  absolutely  holy  :  he  liad  power  to 
do  cither  good  or  evil.  Moreover  God  gave  liiin  a  law, 
which  might  instruct  him  what  to  do  and  what  to  leave 
undone.  For  God  in  saying,  "Thou  shalt  not  cat  of  the  ['=fn.  ul  3.] 
fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,"  did  simply 
requii-e  at  his  hands  faith  and  obedience,  and  that  ho  should 
wholly  depend  upon  God  :  all  which  he  had  to  do,  not  by 
compulsion  or  necessity,  but  of  his  own  accord  and  free 
good-will.  For  very  truly  and  holily  writ  the  wise  man  in 
the  fifteenth  of  Ecclesiasticus^,  saying:  "God  made  man  in 
the  beginning,  and  left  him  in  the  hand  of  his  counsel.  He 
gave  him  his  commandments  and  precepts  :  if  thou  wilt,  thou 
shalt  keep  my  commandments,  and  they  shall  preserve  thee." 
Therefore,  when  the  serpent  tempted  the  mind  of  man, 
and  did  persuade  him  to  taste  of  the  forbidden  tree,  man 
knew  well  enough  what  peril  was  laid  before  him,  and  how 
the  serpent's  counsel  was  flatly  repugnant  to  the  Lord's  com- 
mandment. In  the  mean  time  neither  did  God  compel  him, 
nor  Satan  in  the  serpent  enforce  him  to  sin,  while  he  resisted 
and  did  withstand  him.  For  God  had  said  :  "Ye  shall  not 
cat  of  that  tree,  nor  touch  it :  if  ye  do,  ye  shall  die  for  it." 
Therefore  he  was  at  his  own  free  choice,  and  in  the  hand  of 
his  own  counsel,  either  to  cat  or  not  to  cat :  yea,  God  de- 
clared his  mind  unto  him  in  giving  precise  commandment, 
that  he  should  not  eat;  and  to  the  commandment  he  annexed 
the  danger  of  the  breach  thereof,  withdrawins:  him  thercbv 
from  the  eating  of  the  fruit,  and  saying,  "  Lest  perhaps 
thou  die."  And  as  Satan  could  not,  so  also  he  did  not, 
shew  any  violence,  but  used  such  probable  words  to  counsel 
him  as  he  could,  and  did  indeed  at  length  persuade  him. 
For  when  the  woman's  will  gave  ear  to  the  word  of  ihe 
devil,  her  mind  departed  from  the  word  of  God ;  whereby 
she  rejected  the  good  law  of  God,  did  of  her  own  perverse 
will  commit  that  sin,  and  drew  her  husband  that  yielded  of 
liis  own  accord  into  the  fellowship  of  the  same  offence :  as 
the  scripture  doth  most  significantly  express  in  these  words  : 

[-  verses  14 — 16,  according  to  the  Viilgato.    Our  Authorised  Version 

is  a  little  different,  following  the  Greek  LXX] 

24 
[bulling  ER,   1l] 


370  THE    THIHD    DECADE.  [sERM 

"  And  the  woman,  seeing  that  the  tree  was  good  to  cat  of, 
and  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired  to  make 
one  wise^  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat,  and  gave 
to  her  husband  with  her,  and  he  did  eat  also."  Lo,  here 
thou  hast  the  beginning  of  evil,  the  devil :  thou  hast  heard 
what  it  was  that  moved  the  mind  or  will  of  man  unto  that 
evil,  to  wit,  the  false  persuasion  of  the  devil,  or  his  subtle 
praise  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  and  so  consequently  a  mere 
lie ;  and  the  pleasant  shew  of  the  delicate  tree.  But  that 
which  our  first  parents  did,  they  did  of  their  own  accord 
and  free  good  will,  being  led  by  hope  to  obtain  a  more  ex- 
cellent life  and  profounder  wisdom,  which  the  seducer  had 
falsely  promised  them.  We  do  therefore  conclude,  that  sin 
doth  spring  not  of  God,  which  hateth  and  doth  prohibit  all 
evil,  but  of  the  devil ;  the^  free  election  of  our  grand-parents 
and  their  corrupted  will,  which  was  depraved  by  the  devil's 
lie,  and  the  false  shew  of  feigned  good.  So  then  the  devil 
and  the  yielding  or  corrupted  mind^  of  man  are  the  very 
causes  of  sin  and  naughtiness. 

of  the  devil's  T<^  proceed  now  :  this  evil  doth  by  descent  flow  from  our 
first  parents  into  all  their  posterity,  so  that  at  this  day  sin 
doth  not  spring  from  elsewhere  but  of  ourselves,  that  is  to 
say,  of  our  corrupt  judgment,  depraved  will,  and  the  sug- 
gestion of  the  devil.  For  the  root  of  evil  is  yet  remaining 
.  in  our  flesh  by  reason  of  that  first  corruption :  which  root 
bringeth  forth  a  corrupt  branch  in  nature  like  unto  itself: 
which  branch  Satan  even  now,  as  he  hath  done  always, 
doth  by  his  sleights,  subtilties,  and  lies,  cherish,  tend,  and 
tender,  as  an  imp  of  his  own  planting ;  and  yet  notwith- 
standing he  laboureth  in  vain,  unless  we  yield  ourselves  to 
his  hands  to  be  framed  as  he  listeth. 

Now  therefore,  that  there  may  herein  appear  less  doubt 
or  darkness,  I  will,  for  confirmation's^  sake,  add  two  most 
evident  testimonies ;  the  one  out  of  the  writings  of  the  evan- 
gelists, the  other  out  of  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles. 

johnviii.  The  Lord  in  the   gospel  saith :   "The  devil  was  a  mur- 

derer from  the  beginning,  and  stood  not  in  the  truth,  be- 
cause the  truth  is  not  in  him.  When  he  spcaketh  a  lie, 
he  speaketh  of  his  own ;   because  he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father 

[1  concupiscibile  atl  contomplandum,  Lat.]  [2  and  the,  Lat.] 

[3  voluntas,  Lat.]  [1  ct  dcclarandi,  Lat.] 


Sin  springeth 
of  thede  ■" 
suggestio 
and  our  < 
rupt  will. 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINDS    TIIEUEOl'.  371 

of  lies."  By  thesc^  -svords  of  the  Lord  vro  gather,  that 
evil  is  to  be  referred  to  the  devil,  who,  being  created  in 
truth  and  goodness,  did  not  stand  fast  in  truth  and  goodness, 
but  degenerated  from  his  nature  wherein  he  was  made 
good,  and  fell''  into  another  nature  corrupt  and  wicked, 
and  hath  out  of  himself  dispersed  all  evil  (as  it  appeared 
by  the  history  of  our  first  parents)  into  the  world ;  to  wit, 
murder  and  lies  (under  which  two  are  comprehended  all 
other  evils),  of  which  he  is  expressly  said  to  be  the  father, 
that  is,  the  cause,  the  author,  the  well-spring,  and  beginning: 
not  because  he  was  made  such  an  one  of  God,  but  because 
he  stood  not  fast  in  the  trutli.  To  them  therefore  that  do 
demand^,  of  what  beginning  Satan  came,  and  whether  God 
made  liira  or  no  ?  our  answer  is,  That  God  indeed  made  all 
the  angels,  and  those  also  which  afterward  did  become  re- 
probates and  wicked  devils:  but  we  do  not  therefore  say 
that  the  cause  of  evil  doth  redound  to  God.  For  we  know 
that  God  in  the  beginning  made  all  the  angels  good ;  for 
all  things  which  he  made  were  good.  Furthermore  it  is 
said  that  the  devil  stood  not  in  the  trutli ;  that  is,  that  he 
revolted  from  the  truth :  from  which  he  could  not  have  re- 
volted, if  he  had  never  stood  in  it.  Therefore  God  in  the 
beginning  did  place  all  his  angels  in  the  truth.  He  required 
of  them  truth,  faith  or  fidelity,  and  the  duty  that  they 
ought ^  him:  which  they  were  able  to  have  done,  if  they 
themselves  would.  But  they  did  disloyally  fall  from  their 
allegiance,  and  sinned,  as  the  apostle  Peter  testifieth,  against  [2 pet. ii.  4] 
the  Lord ;  and  therefore  the  fault  of  their  falsehood  and 
of  all  their  naughtiness  was  not  in  God,  but  in  the  rebellious 
and  revolting  angel.  For  since  the  time  of  his  fall  there 
is  no  truth,  no  fidelity,  no  integrity,  no  fear  of  God,  no 
light  or  goodness  to  be  found  in  him.  Therefore  truly 
said  St  John  in  the  canonical  epistle :  "  He  that  committeth  [i  John  .11. 
sin  is  of  the  devil ;  for  the  devil  sinncth  from  the  beginning." 
For  he  is  the  first  sinner,  and  the  beginning  of  sin.  To 
this  also  may  this  note  be  added",  that  of  Peter  and  John 
the  devil  is  said  to  sin.      For  sin  is  repugnant  to  the  will  of 

[8  discrtissimis,  Lnt. ;  most  express.] 

[*  sua  culpa,  Lat.  omitted  ;  by  his  own  fault.] 

[7  ohjicicntibus,  Lat.]  [8  i.  c.  owed.] 

[3  in  his  omnibus  illud  obscrval»ilc,  Lat.] 

24 2 


372  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERW. 

God:  therefore  God  would  not  have  had  hun  perish:  where- 
upon, since  he  perished,  it  folio  weth  that  he  perished,  not 
by  the  fault  of  God,  but  by  his  own  fault. 

Let  us  now  hear  the  other  testimony  concerning  the  cor- 
rupt will  of  man,   which  is  in  very  deed  the  cause  of  sin. 

[James  i.  St  Jamos  the  apostle  saith :  "  Let  no  man  say  when  he  is 
tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God :  for  God  cannot  be  tempted 
with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man.  But  every  man  is 
tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  away  and  enticed  of  his  own 
concupiscence.  Then  when  lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth 
forth  sin  ;  and  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth  death." 
In  these  words  St  James,  I  hope,  doth  evidently  enough 
make  God  to  be  free  from  all  fault  of  sin,  and  doth  derive 
it  of  us  ourselves,  shewing  by  the  way  the  beginning  and 
proceeding  of  sin.     Neither  doth  James  in  this  place  gainsay 

[Gen.  xxii.    the  placo   in    Genesis,   where    Moses    said,    "  God    tempted 

'■^  Abraham."     For  in  Moses  to  tempt  doth  signify  to  make 

a  trial  or  a  proof:  but  in  this  argument  of  ours  it  signifieth 
to  stir  or  draw  to  evil,  and  so  to  corrupt  us.  Therefore 
God,  as  he  cannot,  saith  he,  be  tempted  of  evil ;  that  is  to 
say,  as  God  is  by  nature  good  and  uncorrupt ;  so  doth  he 
not  corrupt,  deprave,  or  defile^  any  man  with  evil ;  for  that  is 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  God.  From  whence  then  hath 
sin  his  beginning  ?  The  holy  apostle  answereth,  saying : 
.  "  Yea,  every  one  is  tempted,  corrupted,  and  drawn  into  evil, 
while  he  is  withdrawn  and  enticed  with  his  own  concupi- 
scence." Lo  here,  sin  taketh  beginning  of  our  concupiscence, 
and  is  accomplished  and  finished  by  our  own  work  and  labour. 
Note  here,  by  the  way,  what  a  weight  and  emphasis 
every  one  of  the  apostle's  words  doth  carry  with  it.      For 

^y  first,  he  maketh  concupiscence  our  own,  or  proper  to  us  all, 

even  as  the  Lord  before  did  say  of  Satan,  "  When  he 
speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own."  Now  because 
concupiscence  is  our  own,  therefore  sin  is  our  own  also.  For 
concupiscence  doth  withdraw  us  from  that  that  is  true,  just, 
and  good,  to  that  which  is  false,  unjust,  and  evil.  The  same 
concupiscence  enticeth  us,  that  is,  by  making  a  shew  of  false 
hope  it  doth  deceive  us :  as  fowlers  are  wont  with  meat  to 
entice  birds  into  their  nets,  which,  when  they  have  deceived 
them,  they  catch  up  and  kill.     What,  I  pray  you,  could  be 

\}  immergit,  Lat.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THi;     KINDS    TMEIlEOr.  373 

S])okcn  more  plainly  ?  AVe  arc  by  our  own  concupiscence 
cast  into  evil ;  this  concupiscence  draweth  us  from  God  ; 
it  doth  entice,  and  utterly  deceive  us.  And  then,  having 
laid  the  foundation  of  sin  and  opened  the  well-spring  from 
whence  it  floweth,  he  doth  very  properly  allude  and  by  an 
allegory  shew  us  the  genealogy,  that  is,  the  beginning  and 
proceeding  of  sin.  That  concupiscence,  saith  he,  which  is 
proper  unto  us  all,  doth,  as  it  were  a  matrix,  conceive  sin 
in  us ;  and  immediately  after  doth  bring  it  forth  ;  to  wit,  when 
our  lust  bursteth  out  into  the  act,  when  we  do  greedily 
prosecute  that  which  we  lusted  after,  and,  being  once  ob- 
tained, we  do  enjoy  it  against  the  law  of  God :  upon  the 
neck  whereof  death  doth  follow  without  intermission ;  "  for 
tlie  reward  of  sin  is  death." 

I  have,  I  trust,  by  these  evident  proofs  of  scripture 
plainly  declared  that  God  is  not  the  cause  of  evil ;  but  our 
corruptible-  will  or  concupiscence,  and  the  devil,  which  stirreth, 
provoketh,  and  inflameth  our  depraved  nature  to  sin  and 
wickedness,  as  he  which  is  the  tempter  and  utter  enemy  to 
mankind  and  his  salvation^. 

It  will  not  be  amiss  here  to  hear  the  objections  of  certain  objections 

«'  are  answered. 

cavillers  against  this  doctrine,  and  to  learn  how  to  answer 
them  according  to  the  truth.  Some  there  are  which,  when 
they  see  that  we  derive  sin  not  of  the  nature  of  God  but 
of  the  corruptible  will  of  man  and  false  suggestion  of  the 
devil,  do  presently  object,  that  God  created  Adam,  and  so 
consequently  created  sin  in  Adam'*.  To  this  we  answer;  that 
sin  is  the  corruption  of  the  good  nature  made  by  God,  and 
not  a  creature  created  by  God  either  in  or  with  man.  God 
created  man  good  :  but  man,  being  left  to  his  own  counsel, 
did  through  the  persuasion  of  Satan,  by  his  own  action  and 
depraved  will,  corrupt  the  goodness  that  God  created  in  him : 
so  now  that  sin  is  proper  to  man^,  I  mean,  man's  corrupt 
action  against  the  law  of  God,  and  not  a  creature  created 
in  him  of  God.  To  this  they  reply  :  But  the  will  and  abi- 
lity that  was  in  Adam,  was  it  from  elsewhere  than  from 
God  himself?  Undoubtedly,  no;  it  was  from  God.  There- 
fore, say  they,  sin  is  of  God.  I  deny  it ;  for  God  gave  not 
to  Adam  will  and  power  of  working,  to  the  end  that  ho 
[2  comiptam,  Lat.]  P  omnis  boni,  Lat.] 

I*  in  Adam,  not  in  Lat.]  [^  proprium  hominis,  Lat.] 


374  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

should  work  evil ;  for  by  express  commandment  he  forbad 
him  to  do  wickedness.  Therefore  Adam  himself  did  naugh- 
tily apply  the  will  and  power,  which  he  received  of  God, 
by  using  them  untowardly.  The  prodigal  son  received 
money  at  his  father's  hand ;  whose  meaning  was,  not  that  he 
should  waste  it  prodigally  with  riotous  living,  but  that  he 
might  have  whereupon  to  live  and  supply  the  want  of  his 
necessities.  Wherefore  when  he  had  lavishly  lasht  it  out, 
and  utterly  undone  himself,  the  fault  was  in  himself  for 
abusing  it,  and  not  in  his  father  for  giving  it  unto  him^  Fur- 
thermore, to  have  the  power  to  do  good  and  evil,  as  Adam 
had  of  God,  is  of  itself  a  thing  without  fault :  even  as  also 
to  have  poison,  to  bear  a  weapon,  or  wear  a  sword,  is  a 
thing  that  no  man  can  worthily  blame.  They  have  in  them 
a  force  to  do  good  or  harm ;  they  are  not  naught  unless 
they  be  abused :  and  he  that  giveth  thee  them  doth  leave 
to  thee  the  use  thereof.  If  he  be  a  just  man,  he  putteth 
them  into  thy  hand  not  to  abuse,  but  to  use  as  equity  and 
right  requireth.  Wherefore,  if  thou  abusest  them,  the  fault 
is  imputed  to  thyself,  and  not  to  him  that  gave  thee  them. 
Now  since  God,  which  gave  Adam  that  will  and  power,  is 
of  himself  most  absolutely  just,  it  followeth  consequently, 
that  he  gave  them  to  Adam  not  to  do  evil  but  good :  why 
then  is  the  most  just  God  blamed  in  such  a  case  as  sinful 
man  is  without  all  blame  in  ?  We  do  therefore  conclude  : 
because  affection  in  Adam,  being  moved  by  sense  and  egged 
on  by  the  serpent,  did  persuade  him  to  eat  of  the  forbidden 
fruit,  when  nevertheless  his  understanding  did  yet  hold  the 
word  of  God  which  forbad  him  to  eat;  and  that  his  will 
was  at  free  choice  and  liberty  to  incline  to  whether  part  it 
pleased  him ;  he  did  notwithstanding^  will  and  choose  that 
which  God  had  forbidden  him  ;  we  do  therefore,  I  say,  con- 
clude, that  sin  is  properly  to  be  imputed  to  man  which 
willingly  transgressed,  and  not  to  God^  which  charged  him 
that  he  should  not  sin. 

Here  again  the  adversaries  ask  this  question.  Why  God 

[1  sua,  non  patris,  culpa  pcrit,  tamotsi  pocuniam  acceperit  a  patre, 
Lat.] 

[2  in  pejorcm  incliiiavit,  Lat.  omitted ;  incline  to  the  worso  part, 
and.] 

[3  legislatoris,  Lat. ;  not  to  the  lawgiver.] 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  375 

did  create  man  so  frail,  that  he  of  his  own  will  might  incline  to  why  ood 
evil :  why  did  he  not  rather  confirm  in  him  the  goodness  and  "^fil*kie"that 
perfect  soundness  of  nature,  that  he  could  not  have  fallen  or  fan! 
sinned?  To  this  the  scripture  answcrcth,  saying;  "What  art 
thou  that  disputcst  with  God?  Woe  to  him  that  striveth  with 
his  Maker  !  AVoe  to  him  that  saith  to  the  father.  Why  bcgot- 
test  thou?  and  to  the  mother,  AVhy  broughtcst  thou  forth*?" 
Unless  God  had  made  man  filllable^  there  had  been  no  praise 
of  his  works  or  virtue ;  for  he  could  neither  have  willed  nor 
choosed  but  of  necessity  have  been  good.  Yea,  what  if 
man  ought  altogether  to  be  made  fallable?  For  so  did  the 
counsel  of  God  require  him  to  be.  God  giveth  not  his  own 
glory  to  any  creature.  Adam  was  a  man,  and  not  a  God. 
But  to  be  good  of  necessity  is  the  proper  glory  of  God,  and 
of  none  but  God**.  And  as  God  is  bountiful  and  liberal,  so 
also  is  he  just :  he  doth  good  to  men ;  but  will  therewithal 
that  men  acknowledge  him  and  his  benefits,  and  that  they 
obey  him,  and  be  thankful  for  the  same,  lie  had  bestowed 
innumerable  benefits  upon  Adam  :  there  lacked  nothing  there- 
fore but  to  give  him  an  occasion  to  declare  and  shew  his 
thankfulness  and  obedience  to  his  good  God  and  benefactor ; 
which  occasion  he  offered  him  by  the  m.aking  of  that  law,  or 
giving  his  commandment.  We  see  therefore  that  God  or- 
dained not  that  law  to  be  a  stumbhng-block  in  Adam's  way, 
but  rather  to  be  a  staff  to  stay  him  from  falling :  for  in  the 
law  he  declareth  what  he  would  have  him  to  do.  He  sheweth, 
that  he  wishcth  not  the  death  or  destruction  of  Adam ;  he 
teachcth  him  what  to  do,  that  he  may  escape  death  and  live 
in  felicity  and  perfect  happiness.  For  which  cause  also  he  xo  wiia^end 
provided  that  tlie  law  should  be  a  plain  and  easy  command- '^^  to  Adam, 
ment :  "Of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  thou  shalt 
not  eat,"  saith  the  Lord  ;  "  for  if  thou  docst,  thou  shalt  die  the 
death :  but  of  any  other  tree  in  the  garden  thou  shalt  eat." 
What  else  was  this,  than  as  if  he  should  have  said,  Thou  shalt 
in  all  things  have  an  eye  to  me ;  thou  shalt  stick  to  me,  obey 
me,  be  subject  unto  me,  and  serve  me  :  neither  shalt  thou  from 
elsewhere  fetch  the  forms  of  good  and  evil  than  of  mc ;  and 

[*  Rom.  ix.  20.    Isai.  xlv.  0,  10.     Coverdalc's  Ciblo,  1535,  also  has 
Why.    IJullingci-'s  Latin  is  Quid.] 
[6  i.  e.  liable  to  fall ;  labilis,  Lat.] 
[C  But  to  be— but  God,  the  translator's  addition.] 


376  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

in  SO  doing  thou  shalt  shew  thyself  obedient  and  thankful 
unto  me  thy  Maker?  Did  God  in  this  desire  any  unjust 
thing,  or  more  than  he  should,  at  the  hands  of  Adam  ?  He 
shewed  him  the  tree  as  a  sacrament  or  ^  sign  of  that  which  he 
enjoined  him  by  the  giving  of  the  law ;  to  wit,  that  the  tree 
might  be  a  token  to  put  him  in  memory  that  he  ought  to 
obey  the  Lord  alone,  as  a  wise,  bountiful,  excellent,  and 
greatest  God  and  Maker,  And  what  difficulty,  I  pray  you, 
or  darkness  was  there  herein  ?  St  Augustine  is  of  the  same 
opinion  with  us,  who  in  his  book  De  Natura  Boni  adversus 
Manicliixos,  cap.  35,  saith  :  "  He  did  therefore  forbid  it,  that 
he  might  shew  that  the  nature  of  the  reasonable  soul  ought 
to  be,  not  in  man's  own  power,  but  in  subjection  unto  God ; 
and  that  by  obedience  it  keepeth  the  order  of  her  salvation, 
which  by  disobedience  it  doth  corrupt  and  mar.  And  here- 
upon it  cometh,  that  he  called  the  tree,  which  he  forbad,  by 
the  name  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  because 
Adam,  if  he  touched  it  against  the  Lord's  commandment, 
should  by  trial  feel  the  punishment  of  his  sin,  and  by  that 
means  know  what  difference  there  was  betwixt  the  good  that 
followeth  obedience  and  the  evil  wliich  ensueth  the  sin  of 
disobedience^."  Now  therefore,  when  the  serpent  was  crept 
in  and  began  to  tell  man  of  other  forms  of  good  and  evil 
directly  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  and  that  man  had  once 
received  them  as  things  both  true  and  credible^,  he  did  dis- 
loyally revolt  from  God,  and  by  his  own  fault  through  diso- 
bedience he  wrought  his  own  destruction.  Therefore  God  did 
always  deal  justly  with  him  ;  and  man  contrarily  dealt  too  too 
unjustly,  and  was  utterly  unthankful,  howsoever  men  will  go 
about  to  cloak  or  not  to  hear  of  his  unthankful  stubborn- 


[1  a  sacrament  or,  not  in  Lat.] 

[2  Ad  hoc  enim  prohibuerat,  ut  ostcnderet  naturam  aniraao  ratio- 
nalis,  non  in  sua  potestate,  sed  Deo  subditam  esse  debere,  et  ordlnem 
6UEC  salutis  per  obedientiam  custodire,  per  inobedientiam  corrumpcrc. 
Hinc  et  arborem  quam  tangi  vetuit  sic  appcllavit,  dignosccntiaj  boni  ct 
mali :  qui,  cum  eam  contra  vetitum  tetigisset,  cxperiretur  poenam  pec- 
cati,  et  eo  modo  dignosceret,  quid  intcresset  inter  obedientire  bonum  ct 
inter  inobedientia;  malum. — August,  do  Nat.  Boni  adv.  Manicli.  0pp. 
Tom.  VI.  fol.  115,  col.  4,  Par.  1531.] 

[3  as — credible,  not  in  Lat.] 

[4  howsoever — stubbornness:  utcunque  rem  astimcs,  Lat  ] 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE     KINDS    TIIKHEOF.  377 

But  whereas  we  say  that  man  was  made  fallable,  wc  will  There  wa,  no 

1  11  iiii'i     "'miption  or 

not  have  it  to  be  so  understood,  that  any  man  should  think  'nfirmity  in 

[  ^  ,    .      1         .  Adam  before 

that  there  was  in  Adam  any  one  jot  or  prick  of  infirmity  be-'"^'^*"- 
fore  his  fall ;  for  as  ho  was  in  all  points  most  absolutely 
perfect,  so  was  he  in  no  point  created  so  frail  that  he  should 
sin  or  perish  by  death.  .  For  God,  which  is  one  in  substance 
and  three  in  persons,  said :  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image, 
after  our  own  likeness."  Note  here,  that  Zcela'iii  doth  signify 
the  picture  or  counterfeit  of  another  thing,  and  that  Deinuth 
importeth  the  very  pattern  whereby  any  picture  is  drawn  or 
image  portrayed^  Therefore  in  God  is  the  example  or  pat- 
tern, to  the  resemblance  whereof  there  w^as  a  picture  or  simi- 
litude framed  :  but  that   representing  likeness  cannot  be  this  xiic  image 

...  .  .  of  God. 

body  of  ours ;  for  God  is  a  Spirit,  in  no  point  like  to  the 
nature  of  dust  and  ashes ^ :  we  must  of  necessity  therefore 
resemble  the  image  of  God  to  spiritual  things,  as  to  immor- 
tality, truth,  justice,  and  holiness.  For  so  hath  the  apostle 
Paul  taught  us,  where  he  saith,  "  Be  ye  renewed  in  the  spirit 
of  your  mind;  and  put  on  that  new  man,  which  after  God  is 
shapen  in  righteousness  and  holiness  of  truth '^."  Wherefore 
there  was  no  want  in  our  grandfather  Adam  of  any  thing 
that  was  available  to  absolute  perfectness  :  so  that  even  a  blind 
man  may  perceive,  that  man  was  not  created  to  death  and 
destruction,  but  unto  life,  felicity,  and  absolute  blessedness. 

But,  say  they,  God  did  foreknow  the  fall  of  man,  which,  ooddid 
if  he  would,  he  could  have  withstood  :  now,  since  he  could  and  thrfiurof 
would  not,  God  is  to  be  blamed  because  Adam  sinned.      It  is 
a  goodly   matter  indeed'^,  when,  all  fear  of  God  being  laid 
aside,  men  will  at  their  pleasure  fall  flatly  on  railing  against 
the  majesty  of  God  almighty.      I  answered  in  the  beginning 
of  this  discourse  to  this  objection  ;   and  yet  this  I  add  here 
moreover,  that  upon  God's  foreknowledge  there  followeth  no  • 
necessity,  so   that  Adam  did   of  necessity  sin   because  God 
did    foreknow    that   he   would  sin.      A   prudent  father  doth 
foresee,  by  some  untoward  tokens,  that  his  son  will  one  day 

[6  T^iQl  is  more  than  □'i'^ :  this  expresses  the  general  Jorm  or  de- 
lineation ;  that,  the  confurmity  or  resemblance  of  the  parts.  Parkhurst, 
Heb.  Lex.  in  voc.  nDT] 

[8  luti,  is  Bullingor's  one  word.] 

{-  Eph.  iv.  23,  24.     Marg.  Auth.  Vcr.] 

[8  cgrogia  ccnsebitur  disputatio,  Lat] 


378  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

come  to  an  ill  ending  ^ :  neither  is  he  deceived  in  his  fore- 
sight ;  for  he  is  slain,  being  taken  in  adultery.  But  he  is  not 
therefore  slain,  because  his  father  foresaw  that  he  would  be 
slain ;  but  because  he  was  an  adulterer.  And  therefore  St 
Ambrose,  or  whosoever  it  is  that  was  author  of  the  second 
book  De  Gentium  Vocatione,  cap.  4)  speaking  of  the  murder 
which  Cain  committed,  saith :  "  God  verily  did  foreknow  to 
what  end  the  fury  of  the  mad  man  would  come.  And  yet, 
because  God's  foreknowledge  could  not  be  deceived,  it  doth 
not  thereupon  follow,  that  necessity  of  sinning  did  urge  the 
crime  upon  him  2,"  &c.  And  St  Augustine,' Z)e  Lihero  Arhitrio, 
Lib.  XIII.  cap.  4,  saith :  "  As  thou  by  thy  memory  dost  not 
compel  those  things  to  be  done  that  are  gone  and  past,  so  God 
by  his  foreknowledge  doth  not  compel  those  things  to  be  done 
which  are  to  come.  And  as  thou  rememberest  some  things  that 
thou  hast  done,  and  yet  hast  not  done  all  things  which  thou 
rememberest ;  so  God  foreknowcth  all  things  which  he  doth, 
and  yet  doth  not  all  which  he  foreknoweth.  But  God  is  a  just 
revenger  of  that  whereof  he  is  no  evil  author^."  And  so  forth. 

An  objection.  Like  uuto  tliis  is  auothcr  objection,  which  they  make  that 
say :  God  did  before  all  beginnings  determine  with  himself  to 
deliver  mankind  from  bondage :  therefore  it  could  not  other- 
wise be,  but  that  we  should  first  be  tangled  in  bondage : 
therefore  it  behoved  us  to  be  drowned  in  sin,  that  by  that 
means  the  glory  of  God  might  shine  more  clearly ;  as  the 

[Rom.  V.  20.]  apostle  said,  "Where  sin  was  plenteous,  there  was  grace  more 
plenteous."  But  it  is  marvel  that  these  cavillers  do  not  better 
consider,  that  God  of  himself,  without  us,  is  sufficient  to  him- 
self unto  absolute  blessedness  and  most  perfect  felicity  ;  and 
that  his  glory  could  (as  it  doth)  of  itself  reach  above  all 

[^  pevimendum  gladio,  Lat.] 

[2  Et  utique  proesciebat  Deus  ad  qucm  finctn  insanientis  esset  pro- 
gressura  conceptio.  Neque  ex  co,  quod  falli  scientia  divina  non 
poterat,  necessitate  pcccandi  urgebatur  facinus  voluntatis. — De  Vocat. 
Gent.  Lib.  11.  cap.  4,  col.  540,  Ambros.  0pp.  Tom.  iv.  Par.  1614.] 

[3  Sicut  enim  tu  in  memoria  tua  non  cogis  facta  esse,  qusc  prrc- 
terierunt ;  sic  Deus  prtescientia  sua  non  cogit  facienda  qurc  futura  sunt. 
Et  sicut  tu  qufcdam  qua)  fecisti  memiuisti,  noc  tamen  qurc  meministi 
omnia  fecisti ;  ita  Deus  omnia  quorum  ipse  auctor  est  pra'scit,  nee 
tamen  omnium  quo)  prrescit  ipse  auctor  est.  Quorum  autcm  non  est 
malus  auctor,  Justus  est  ultor. — August,  de  Lib.  Arbit.  Lib.  111.  cap.  4, 
Tom.  I.  fol.  141,  col.  3,  Par.  1631.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  370 

heavens,  altliough  there  had  never  been  any  creature  brouglit 
into  Hght.  Is  not  God  without  beginning?  But  we  his 
creatures  had  a  beginning.  God  is  glorious  from  before  all 
beginnings :  therefore  he  is  glorious  -without  us :  and  his  " 
glory  -would  be  as  great  as  it  is,  though  -we  were  not*.  But 
what  dullard  is  so  foolish  as  to  think,  that  that  eternal  light 
of  God  doth  draw  any  brightness  of  glory  at  our  darkness, 
or  out  of  the  stinking  dungeon^  of  our  sin  and  wickedness? 
Should  God's  glory  be  no  glory,  if  it  were  not  for  our  sins  ? 
The  wise  man  in  Ecclesiasticus  saith  :  "  Say  not  thou,  It  is  [f^l"^^ 
the  Lord's  fault  that  I  have  sinned :  for  thou  shalt  not  do  the 
thing  that  God  hateth.  Say  not  thou,  lie  hath  caused  me  to 
do  wrong ;  for  he  hath  no  need  of  the  sinner  :  "  or,  ifor  the 
wicked  are  not  needful  unto  him.  "  God  hateth  all  abomina- 
tion of  error ;  and  they  that  worship  God  will  love  none 
such."  Why  therefore  do  we  not  change  our  manner  of 
reasoning,  and  so  consider  of  the  matter  as  it  is  in  very  deed  ? 
God,  of  his  eternal  goodness  and  liberality,  whereby  he 
wisheth  himself  to  be  parted*'  among  us  all  to  our  felicity,  did 
from  everlasting  determine  to  create  man  to  his  own  similitude 
and  likeness :  but  for  because  he  did  foresee  that  he  would 
fall  headlong  into  a  filthy  and  miserable  bondage,  he  did 
therefore  by  the  same  his  grace  and  goodness  ordain  a 
deliverer  to  bring  us  out  of  thraldom ;  to  the  end  that  so  he 
might  communicate  himself  unto  us,  that  we  might  praise  his 
gracious  favour,  and  render  thanks  to  his  fatherly  ~  goodness. 
And  so,  whatsoever  we  men  have  sinned  and  turned  to  our 
own  destruction,  that  same  doth  God  convert  again  to  our 
commodity  and  salvation :  even  as  he  is  read  to  have  done  in 
the  case  of  Joseph  and  his  brethren  ;  which  is,  as  it  were,  a 
certain  type  of  spiritual  things^  and  cases  of  salvation.  And 
we  must  wholly  endeavour  ourselves  to  do  what  we  may  in 
reasoning  of  this  argument  so  to  turn  it,  that  all  glory  may 
be  given  to  God  alone,  and  to  us  nothing  else  but  silence  in 
the  sight  of  God^ 

['  and  his  gloiy — were  not,  the  translator's  addition.] 
p  a  putore  illo,  Lat.] 
[c  distrahi  quasi,  Lat. ;  as  it  were  parted.] 
[7  fatherly,  not  in  Lat.] 

[8  haruiu  reium,  Lat. ;  of  tlicso  things.     Tho  rest  is  the  translator's 
paraphrase.] 

[9  confusio  faciei,  Lat.  Dan.  ix.  ft.  in — God,  not  in  Lat. J 


380  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Now  last  of  all,  there  are  yet  behind  some  places  of 
scripture,  which  must  by  the  way  be  run  through  and  ex- 
h'oTgo/^-'  Po^'^'i^^-  The  apostle^  verily,  saith :  "  God  gave  them  up  to 
oV'/Zt'oT"  ^  reprobate  sense."  But  this  kind  of  giving  over  is,  as 
seS^!**'^  Augustine  also  saith^,  a  work  of  judgment  and  justice  ;  for 
they  were  worthy  to  be  given  up  unto  a  reprobate  sense. 
The  cause  is  prefixed  in  the  words  of  the  apostle :  for  God 
had  made  himself  manifest  unto  them  ;  but  they  were  not  only 
unthankful  towards  him,  but  waxed  wise  also  in  their  own  con- 
ceits, and  went  about  to  obtrude  unto  him  I  wot  not  what 
manner  of  religion  and  worship.  Therefore,  that  they  might 
by  proof  see  that  they  were  fools  and  ungodly,  God  gave 
them  up  unto  filthy  lusts.  In  hke  manner  king  Amazias  would 
not  give  ear  and  hearken  to  the  Lord,  because  God  had  de- 
termined to  punish  his  iniquities ;  as  is  to  be  read  in  the 
fourth  book  of  Kings,  the  fourteenth  chapter,  and  second 
Paralipom.  twenty-fifth  chapter.  Likewise  did  the  Lord  put 
the  spirit  of  error  into  the  mouths  of  the  false  prophets,  and 
they  seduced  Egypt :  Esay  nineteen.  So  also  did  a  seducing 
spirit^  go  out  from  the  Lord  of  judgment,  and  was  a  lying 
spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  the  prophets :  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
last  chapter  of  the  third  book  of  Kings.  Now  the  Lord  doth 
all  these  things  with  just  and  holy  judgment. 
God  is  said  Agrain,  God  is  said  to  blind  men's  eves,  so  often  as  he  doth 

to  make  men  o        '  "  ,  . 

blind.  revoke,  or  take  away,  the  contemned  light  of  his  truth  and 

sincerity,  leaving  them  that  delight  in  darkness  to  walk  and 
stick  in  their  darkness  still.  For  then  the  Lord  permitteth 
his  words  to  be  preached  to  the  unthankful  and  ungodly 
receivers  unto  their  judgment  or  condemnation ;  for  so, 
verily,  doth  the  evangelical  and  apostolical  doctrine  teach  us 

[John iii.  19.1  to  think.  "This,"  saith  the  Lord,  "is  condemnation,"  or,  this 
is  judgment,  "that"  the  Son  of  God,  the  very  true  "light, 
came  into  the  world,  and   the  world  loved  darkness    more 

r2Cor.  iv.  3,  than  light."  And  Paul  said:  "If  yet  the  gospel*  be  hid,  it 
is  hid  in  them  that  perish  :  in  whom  the  God  of  this  world 
hath  blinded  the  senses  of  the  unbehevers,"  &c. 

[1  Taulus,  Lat.  omitted.] 

[2  Augustine  treats  of  those  words  of  St  Paul  in  Psalm  Ivii.  cnarr. 
0pp.  Tom.  VIII.  fol.  121,  col.  2,  and  argues  that  these  sins  of  the 
heathen  are  just  punishments  from  God.] 

[3  vel  cacodremon,  Lat.] 

[•*  cvangelium  nostrum,  Lat.] 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND     THE     KINDS    TIIEKEOF.  381 

111  the  same  sense  God  is  said  to  harden  man.  For  when  to  harden, 
the  Lord  ealleth  man  and  he  resistcth,  making  himself  un- 
worthy of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  he  doth  then  permit  him 
unto  himself:  that  is,  he  Icaveth  man  unto  his  own  corrupt 
nature,  according  unto  which  the  heart  of  man  is  stony,  Avhich 
is  mollified  and  made  tractable  by  the  only  grace  of  God  : 
therefore  the  withdrawing  of  God's  grace  is  the  hardening  of 
man's  heart ;  and  when  wo  arc  left  unto  ourselves,  then  are 
we  hardened.  Fharao,  king  of  Egypt,  did  by  his  murdering 
of  the  Israelitish  infants,  by  his  tyranny,  and  many  other 
vices  horribly  committed  against  the  law  of  nature,  oftend 
the  eyes  of  God's  most  just  and  heavenly  majesty  :  therefore 
it  is  no  marvel  that  he  hardened  his  heart.  But  if  any  man 
will  not  admit  or  receive  this  exposition,  yet  can  he  not  deny 
that  God  in  the  scriptures  doth  use  our  kinds  of  phrases  and 
manner  of  speeches.  Now  we  are  wont  to  say.  This  father 
doth  by  too  much  cockering  or  over  gentle  dealing  mar  or 
harden  his  son'\  he  maketh  him  stubborn  and  stiff-necked; 
and  yet  the  father  doth  not  tender*'  him  to  destroy,  but  to  save 
him :  the  son  indeed  by  the  abuse  of  his  father's  clemency 
doth  both  destroy  and  harden  himself.  Therefore  whereas 
the  son  is  hardened,  that  cometh  by  his  own  and  not  his 
father's  fault,  although  the  father  bear  the  name  to  have 
hardened  him,  or  made  him  past  grace".  And  verily,  if  thou 
dost  diligently  consider  the  history  of  Pharao^  thou  shalt 
oftener  than  once  find  this  sentence  repeated  there :  "  And  God  harden. 
God  hardened  Pharao's  heart,"  namely,  when  some  benefit  or  heart, 
delivery  from  evil  was  wrought  before  :  as  though  the  scrip- 
ture should  have  said,  ]>y  this  benefit  of  delivering  him  from 
evil  did  God  harden  the  heart  of  Pharao,  while  he  abused  the 
goodness  of  God,  and  supposed  that  all  things  would  be  after- 
wards out  of  peril  and  danger,  because  God  had  taken  away 
this  present  punishment  and  did  begin  to  do  him  good.  And 
yet  I  confess,  that  God,  before  he  had  benefited,  or  laid  any 
punishments  upon,  Egypt,  did  immediately  upon  the  calling  of 
I\Ioses  say  :  "  I  know  that  the  king  of  Egypt  will  not  let  you  rpxod.  m. 
depart;"  and    again:  "  See  that  thou  do  all  these  signs  and 

[5  Macht  in  halsztarck,  omitted,  but  interpreted,  l)y  tlic  translator.] 

[c  non  idoo  indulgct,  Lat.] 

["  or — grace,  the  translator'.?  addition.] 

[8  in  E.todo,  Lat.  omitted.] 


382  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

wonders,  which  I  have  put  in  thy  hand,  before  Pharao :  but 
I  will  harden  Pharao's  heart,  that  he  shall  not  let  the  people 
go."  But  these  sayings  do  not  tend  hereunto,  that  we 
should  make  God  the  author  of  all  Pharao's  falsehood,  re- 
bellion, and  stubborn  dealing  against  the  Lord;  but  rather 
they  were  spoken  to  the  comfort  and  confirmation  of  Moses, 
who  is  therefore  so  premonished,  that,  when  he  dealeth  earn- 
estly with  the  king  and  yet  cannot  obtain  his  suit,  he  should 
notwithstanding  know  that  he  had  God's  business  in  hand,  and 
that  God  by  his  long  suiferance  is  the  cause  of  that  delay  ^ 
when  as  notwithstanding  at  the  last  he  would  temper  all 
things  to  his  own  honour  and  glory.  The  case,  by  a  simili- 
tude, is  all  one  as  if  an  householder  should  send  his  servant 
to  his  debtors,  saying:  Go  thy  way,  and  demand  my  debts; 
but  yet  I  know  that  thou  shalt  receive  none  of  them ;  for  I 
by  my  sufferance  and  gentle  dealing  will  cause  them  to  be  the 
slacker  to  pay  it :  but  yet  do  thou  thy  duty ;  and  I  in  the 
meanwhile  will  see  what  is  needful  to  be  done. 

To  this  may  be  added,  that  even  in  those  very  chapters 
where  it  is  so  often  said,  "God  hardened  Pharao's  heart," 
this  also  is  afterward  annexed,  which  layeth  the  hardening  of 
Pharao's  heart  upon  Pharao's  own  head,  saying,  "  He  hard- 
ened his  heart,  and  hearkened  not  unto  them."  In  the  ninth 
of  Exodus,  when  Pharao  was  well  whipped,  he  crieth :  "  I 
have  now  sinned ;  the  Lord  is  just,  but  I  and  my  people  are 
unjust  or  wicked:"  and  immediately  after  again:  "But  when 
Pharao  saw  that  it  ceased  raining,  he  sinned  yet  more,  and 
hardened  his  heart,  and  it  was  hardened."  So  then  these  and 
such  like  places  must  be  conferred  with  these  words,  "  I  have 
hardened  Pharao's  heart ; "  and  out  of  them  must  be  gathered 
a  godly  sense;  such  a  sense,  I  mean,  as  maketh  not  God^  the 
author  of  evil. 

Now  also  the  prophet  Amos  doth  very  plainly  say  :  "There 
is  no  evil  in  a  city,  but  the  Lord  doth  it."  But  Augustine, 
contra  Adimantum,  cap.  26,  did  very  religiously^  write: 
"  Evil  in  this  place  is  not  to  be  taken  for  sin,  but  for  punish- 
*''"  ment ;  for  the  word  (evil)  is  used  in  two  significations  :  the  one 

is  the  evil  which  a  man  doeth  ;  the  other  evil  is  the  pain 
which  he  suffereth.     Now  the  prophet  in  this  place  speaketh 

\}  pcrtinacire  illius,  Lat.  ;  of  that  stubborn  dealing.] 
[2  Dcum  justissimum,  Lat.]  [^  orthodoxo,  Lat.] 


How  God  is 
said  to  do 


X.]  or    SIN,     AND     THE     KINDS     'IIIEIIEOF.  383 

of  that  evil  which  is  the  punishment  that  men  do  suffer.     For  Note  here, 
by  the  providence  of  God,   which  ruleth  and  governeth  all  jj,^''j^.^^';j;}: 
things,  man  doth  so  commit  the  evil  which  he  will,  that  he  .nem"."' JtJe 
may  suffer  the  evil  which  he  would  not.      Therefore  the  evil ''''''''*''■ 
that  God  doth  is  not  evil  in  respect  of  God,  but  is  evil  to 
them  upon  whom  his  vengeance  lightcth.      So  then  ho,  in 
respect  of  himself,  doth  good  ;    because  every  just  thing  is 
good :  that  vengeance  of  his  is  just,  and  so  consequently  it  is 
good^."      The  place  of  Esay  also  must  be  none  otherwise 
understood  in  his  forty-fifth  chapter,  saying:  "  I  am  the  Lord, 
and  there  is  else  none.     It  is  1  that  created  light  and  dark- 
ness :   I  make  peace  and  evil :  yea,  I,  even  I  the  Lord,  do  all 
these  things."    For  here  ho  taketh  evil  for  war,  and  maketh 
it  tlie  contrary  to  peace. 

Again  St  Augustine,  De  Natura  Boni  contra  Manicha'os 
chap.  28,  saith  :  "When  we  hear  that  all  things  are  of  him,  AUthinRs 
and  by  him,  and  in  him,  we  must  understand  it  to  be  spoken  by^ooa!"^' 
of  all  the  natures  that  arc  naturally.      For  sins  are  not  of  ^" 
him,  because  they  do  not  keep,  but  defile,  nature  ;  which  sins 
the  holy  scriptures  do  diversly  testify  to  be  of  the  will  of 
them  which  commit  them^."      Thus  much  St  Augustine. 

Neither  is  it  a  matter  of  any  great  difticulty  to  answer  to 
that  sentence  of  Salomon's,  where  he  saith,  "  God  created  all 
things  for  his  own  sake;  yea,  the  ungodly  against  the  evil 
day."  Proverbs  xvi.  For  we  believe  that  the  most  just  God 
hath  appointed  a  day^  of  affliction,  judgment,  or  punishment^, 
which  shall  come  upon  them  in  due  time  and  season. 

[■*  Malum  hoc  loco  non  peccatum,  sc«l  poena  intelligonda  est.  Du- 
plicitcr  cnim  appcllatur  malum;  unum  quod  homo  facit,  altcrum  quod 
patitur  poena.  Dc  poenis  ergo  loquebatur  Prophcta,  cum  hoc  dicorct. 
Divina  cnim  provldentia  cuiicta  moderanto  et  gubernantc,  ita  homo 
malo  fecit  quod  vult,  ut  male  patiatur  quod  non  vult. — Ita  ergo  Deua 
malum  facit,  quorl  non  ipsi  Deo  malum  est,  sod  cis  in  quos  vindicat. 
Itaque  ipso,  quantum  ad  so  pertinot,  bonum  facit;  quia  omiio  justum 
l)onum  est,  et  justa  est  ilia  vindicta. — August.  0pp.  Tom.  vi.  fol.  43, 
col.  3.  Par.  1531.] 

[5  Cum  autena  audimus.  Omnia  ex  ipso,  et  per  ipsum,  et  in  ipso; 
omnes  utiquc  naturas  intelligcre  debcmus  quoe  naturalitcr  sunt.  Ncquo 
cnim  ex  ipso  sunt  peccata,  qua)  naturam  non  servant  scd  vitiant;  qua> 
peccata  ex  voluntato  esse  pcccantium  multis  modis  sancta  scriptura 
testatur.— Id.  Tom.  vi.  fol.  115,  col.  2.] 

[•5  ccrtum  diem,  Lat.] 

["  impiis,  Lat.  omitted;  for  the  ungodly.] 


384  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

[Rom.  ix.  But  whereas  the  apostle  saith,  "He  hath  mercy  on  whom 

he  will,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth  ;"  we  must  not 
so  wrest  it  to  say,  that  God  doth  oF  necessity  drive  any  man 
to  sin,  and  that  therefore  he  is  the  cause  of  sin.  For  the 
will  of  God  is  good  and  just,  and  willeth  nothing  but  what 
is  expedient,  and  not  repugnant  to  nature  and  the  word 
of  God.  And  therefore  it  is  that  the  prophet  crieth : 
"  The  Lord  is  just  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in  all  his  works." 
Psal.  cxlv. 

Thus  have  I  out  of  much  that  may  be  said  picked  out  a 
little,  and  laid  it  before  your  eyes,  dearly  beloved,  for  you 
to  consider,  of  the  cause  of  sin. 

The  differ-  We  are  now  come  to  demonstrate  the  first  parts  which 

encesofsin.  .,,..  „..  ti 

were  set  down  m  the  description  of  sm  immediately  upon  the 
beginning  of  this  sermon.  They  are  in  number  two  :  the  first 
is,  "Sin  is  the  natural  corruption  of  mankind;"  the  latter 
is,  "And  the  action  that  riseth  of  it  contrary  to  the  law  of 
God."  Some  verily,  in  setting  down  the  kinds  or  differences 
of  sins,  do  very  well  and  advisedly  say,  "Of  sins,  one  is 
original,  and  another  actual,"  I  mean  in  order  to  speak  of 
both,  so  far  as  God  shall  give  me  grace :  and  first,  of  the 
same  natural  corruption  in  mankind  ;  that  is,  of  original  sin. 
Original  sin.  Now  therefore  it  is  called  original  sin,  because  it  cometh 
from  the  first  beginning,  being  derived  from  our  first  parents 
into  us  all  by  lineal  descent  and  continual  course  from  one  to 
another ;  for  we  bring  it  with  us  in  our  nature  from  our 
mother's  womb  into  this  life. 

Of  this  sin  there  are  many  definitions  made,  which  as 
they  do  not  disagree  among  themselves,  so  yet  is  one  of  them 
more  full  and  evident  than  another  of  them  is.  Some  say. 
Original  sin  is  the  corruption  of  nature  from  the  first  perfect- 
ness.  Other  some  say.  It  is  the  corruption  of  man's  nature, 
which  maketh  that  we  do  not  truly  obey  the  law  of  God,  and 
are  not  without  sin.  Again ;  some  call  it  a  want,  or  defect ; 
other  call  it  concupiscence ;  which  might  better  seem  to  be  the 
fruit  of  original  sin,  that  is,  of  our  corruption.  Other  call  it 
an  inordinatcness  of  appetites,  which  is  left  in  nature^  An- 
selmus,  a  late  writer,  saith :    "  Original  sin  is  the  want   of 

{}  The  various  definitions  of  original  sin  from  the  fathers  and 
schoolmen,  &c.,  are  collected  in  Jod.  Coccii  Thesaur.  Cathol.  p.  100, 
&c.  Colon.  1620.J 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  ,385 

original  righteousness^."  But  this  is  thouglit  to  have  been 
spoken  somewhat  too  briefly ;  for  the  force  of  sin  secmeth  to 
be  not  sufficiently  expressed :  for  our  nature  is  not  only  void 
and  barren  of  goodness,  but  also  most  abundant  and  fruitful 
of  all  evils  and  naughtiness.  Therefore  the  definition  of  Hugo 
is  taken  for  the  better,  wlio  saith  :  "Original  sin  is  ignorance 
in  the  mind,  and  concupiscence  in  the  flesh-'."  But  yet  this 
seemeth  to  be  a  far  fuller  and  better  definition  :  "  Original  ■ 
sin  is  the  vice  or  depravation  of  the  whole  man,  whereby  ho 
cannot  understand*  God  and  his  will;  but  of  a  perverse 
judgment  of  things  doth  overthwartly,  and  perverteth  all 
things^." 

And  now  among  all  these  definitions  I  wish  you,  dearly 
beloved,  to  consider  of  this  also:  Original  sin  is  the  inheritably 
descending  naughtiness  or  corruption  of  our  nature,  which 
doth  first  make  us  endangered  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and 
then  bringeth  forth  in  us  those  works  which  the  scripture 
calleth  the  works  of  the  flesh.  Therefore  this  original  sin  is 
neither  a  deed,  nor  a  word,  nor  a  thought ;  but  a  disease,  a 
vicc^,  a  depravation,  I  say,  of  judgment  and  concupiscence  ;  or 
a  corruption  of  the  whole  man^,  that  is,  of  the  understanding, 
will,  and  all  the  power  of  man  ;  out  of  which  at  last  do  flow 
all  evil  thoughts,  naughty  words,  and  wicked  deeds. 

This  sin  taketh  beginning  at  and  of  Adam  ;  and  for  that  Thebegin- 
cause  it  is  called  the  inheritably  descending  naughtiness  and  original  sin. 
corruption  of  our  nature.      Concerning  the  corruption  and  sin 
of  Adam,  out  of  whom  we  arc  all  born  sinners,  I  have  already 
sufficiently  spoken,  where  I  treated  of  the  cause  of  sin*^ ;  and 
by  and  by  hereafter  shall  follow  somewhat  more  of  the  same 

[-  Hoc  poccatum,  quod  originale  dice,  aliud  intclligcro  ncquoo  in 
cisdcm  (al.  ipsis)  infaiitibus,  nisi  ipsam,  quam  supra  posui,  faotani  per 
inobedientiam  Ada)  justitia)  nuditatcni. — Ansolmi  0pp.  do  Concept. 
Virg.  et  Orig.  Tec.  cap.  27.  p.  lOG.  Lutct.  Par.  1675.] 

[3  Hoc  autcm  vitium  originis  humana;  duplici  corruptiono  naturam 
inficit :  ignorantia  scilicet  mcntcm,  ct  concupisccntia  camem. — Hugo 
de  S.  Victorc  do  Sacr.  Fid.  Lib.  i.  par.  7.  Tom.  iii.  p.  3'J7.  col.  2. 
Mogunt.  1G17.] 

[«  ncc  aniino  pcrscqui,  Lat.  omitted  ;  nor  follow  after  with  his 
mind.] 

[5  Vid.  Burer.  do  A'ora  Ecclcs.  &c.  compos,  p.  105.  cd.  1543.] 

["  morbus  sive  vitium,  Lat.] 

[■?  totius  humance  naturae,  Lat.]  f^  Seo  above,  page  371.] 

r  T  ^  25 

|_nri,i,iNGER,    II. J 


386  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

argument ;  so  that  I  have  no  need  to  repeat  anything  here  :  I 
will  therefore  now  pass  forth  to  the  rest. 
ThePeia-  The  Pelaoians  denied  that  this  evil  of  orio-inal  sin  was 

gians.  .  "^  ~  .  . 

hereditary  ;  for  these  are  the  very  words  of  Pelagius  him- 
self: "As  without  virtue,  so  are  we  also  born  without  vice; 
and  before  the  action  of  our  own  will,  that  alone  is  in  man 
which  God  created'."  These  words  of  his  are  somewhat 
obscure ;  but  Ccelestius,  the  partner  of  Pelagius,  did  more 
openly  spue  out  this  poison,  and  say :  "  We  did  not  therefore 
say  that  infants  are  to  be  baptized  into  the  remission  of  sins, 
to  the  end  that  we  should  seem  thereby  to  affirm  that  sin  is 
ex  traduce,  or  hereditary ;  which  is  utterly  contrary  to  the 
catholic  sense :  because  sin  is  not  born  with  man,  but  is 
afterward  put  in  ure  by  man  ;  because  it  is  declared  to  be,  not 
the  fault  of  the  nature,  but  of  the  will^."  Again  Pelagius  said, 
"That  that  first  sin  did  not  hurt  the  first  man  only,  but  all 
mankind  also,  his  issue  and  offspring:"  but  he  doth  immediately 
add,  "not  by  propagation,  but  by  example;"  that  is  to  say,  not 
that  "they  which  came  of  him  drew  any  vice  of  him,  but 
because  they  that  sinned  afterward  did  in  sinning  imitate 
him  that  sinned  first  and  before  them^."  This  is  to  be  seen  in 
Aurelius  Augustinus  De  peccato  originali  contra  Pelarjium  et 
Ccelestium,  Lib.  ii.  cap.  6,  13,  and  15. 
Thatheredi-  Wo   therefore   must  prove   by   the   testimonies   of  holy 

inland i?'     scHpturc,  that  tho  evil  is  hereditary  in  man;  and  that  ori- 

bom  together      .       ,      ,       .       ,  .  ,  i  •  i  n 

with  man.  gmal  sm  IS  born  together  with  us,  that  is,  that  all  men  are 
born  sinners  into  the  world.  The  prophet  therefore  doth 
plainly  cry,  Psalm  li.,  "  Behold,  I  was  born  in  wickedness, 

[}  Ut  sine  virtute,  ita  et  sine  vitio  procreamur :  atqiie  ante  actionem 
pvoprise  voluntatis  id  solum  in  homine  est,  quod  Deus  condidit. — 
August,  de  Pec.  Orig.  contra  Pelag.  et  Celcst.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  13.  0pp. 
Tom.  VII.  fol.  163.  col.  2.] 

[2  In  remissionem  autem  peccatorum  baptizandos  infantes,  non 
idcirco  diximus,  ut  peccatum  ex  traduce  firmare  videamur:  quod  longe 
a  catholico  sensu  alicnum  est ;  quia  peccatum  non  cum  homine  nascitur, 
quod  postmodum  exercetur  ab  homine;  quia  non  naturtc  delictum, 
sed  voluntatis  esse  demonstratur. — Ibid.  Tom.  vii.  fol.  162.  col.  3.] 

[3  Dicit  (Pelagius)  non  tantum  primo  homini,  sed  etiam  humano 
generi  primum  illud  obfuissc  peccatum,  non  propagino  sed  cxemplo : 
id  est,  non  quod  ex  illo  traxerint  aliquod  vitium,  (jui  ex  illo  propagati 
sunt;  sod  quod  cum  primum  pcccantem  imitati  sunt  omnes,  qui  postca 
peccaverunt — Ibid.  fol.  163.  col.  2.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  387 

and  in  sin  hath  my  mother  conceived  me"* ;"  or,  as  another 
translation  out  of  the  Hebrew  saith :  "  Behold,  I  was  shapen 
in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  ray  mother  cherished  or  warmed  mc^ :" 
that  is  to  say,  sin  did  then  immediately  cleave  unto  mo, 
when  I  was  once  conceived  and  nourished  in  my  mother's 
womb.  Xow  that  happened,  undoubtedly,  not  by  any  vice 
of  matrimony,  (for  the  wedlock-bed  is  holy  and  undefiled ;) 
but  ex  traduce,  and  by  propagation.  For  Job  in  his  four- 
teenth chapter  saith  manifestly:  "Who  can  make  or  bring 
forth  a  pure  or  clean  thing  of  that  which  is  unclean^?  no 
body  undoubtedly  is  able  to  do  it."  Of  that  sort  also  there 
are  many  other  sayings  in  the  fifteenth  and  five  and  twen- 
tieth chapters  of  the  same  book.  And  Paul,  the  holy  apostle 
of  Christ,  in  the  fifth  to  the  liomans,  doth  most  evidently 
say  :  "  As  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death' 
by  sin ;  even  so  death  entered  into  all  men,  insomuch  as  all 
have  sinned.  For  unto  the  law  was  sin  in  the  world :  but 
sin  is  not  imputed  when  there  is  no  law.  Nevertheless 
death  reigned  from  Adam  unto  JMoses,  over  them  also  that 
had  not  sinned  with  like  transgression  as  did  Adam,"  &c. 
Doth  not  the  apostle  in  these  words  manifestly  shew  the 
propagation  of  sin,  saying,  "  Sin  entered  by  one  man  into 
the  world ;  death  entered  into  all  men,  insomuch  as  they 
have  all  sinned;"  to  wit,  insomuch  as  they  are  all  subject  to 
corruption  ?  And,  that  no  men  either  before  or  after  Moses 
might  be  excepted,  he  addcth  :  "  Death  reigned  from  Adam 
unto  Moses  over  them  also  which  had  not  sinned  with  the 
like  transgression  as  did  Adam ;"  that  is  to  say,  over  them 
which  had  not'^  sinned  of  their  own  will,  as  Adam  had,  but 
drew  from  him  original  sin  by  propagation.  St  Augustine 
doth  more  fully  excuss  and  handle  this  argument  in  his  first 
book  De  p^ccatorimi  meritls  ct  remissione,  in  the  ninth, 
tenth,  and  eleventh  chapter,  and  the  rest  as  they  follow  in 
order  ^.  Again,  Paul  in  the  seventh  to  the  Romans  calleth 
this  evil  the  sin  that  dwcllcth  in  us,  that  is  to  say,  tlie  sin 

[■*  Vulg.  Vers.  Ps.  1.  7.]  [°  Calvin,  in  loc.  cit.] 

[0  ex  immunda  (nimirum  massa)  Lat.;  out  of  an  unclean  (ho 
means)  lump.] 

[7  nondum,  Lat. ;  not  yet.] 

[8  Hoc  autem  apostolicum  testimonium  in  quo  ait,  Pcrunum  homi- 
nem,  &c.— Aug.  0pp.  Tom.  vn.  fol.  135.  col.  1.] 


388  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

that  is  begotten  and  born  with  us ;  for  he  addeth,  "  I  am 
carnal,  sold  under  sin ;"  and,  "  I  know  that  in  me  (that  is, 
my    flesh)    there    dwelleth   no    good."     And    therefore    the 

[ijohni. 8.]  blessed  apostle  and  evangelist  John  tellcth  us,  that  "if  we 
say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is 
not  in  us."  He  saith  very  significantly,  '  we  have,"*  and  not, 
*  we  have  had,'  or, '  we  shall  have;'  for  by  our  corrupt  nature 
we  have  that  proper  unto  us.  Therefore  it  is  manifest  that 
the  fiction  of  the  Pelagians  is  false,  whereby  they  affirm 
that  we  are  born  without  vice :  it  is  false,  that  the  voluntary 
action  only,  and  not  the  corruption  or  depravation  which  is 
not  yet  burst  forth  to  the  deed\  is  sin. 

Voluntary  Aud  Augustiuo  doth  in  one  place  call  even  that  voluntary 

sin  original  sin ;  and  that  two  sundry  ways :  first,  not  simply 
of  itself,  but  in  respect  of  Adam;  because  it,  being  committed 
by  the  naughty  will  of  Adam,  is  drawn  and  made  hereditary 
in  us :  secondly,  because  a  naughty  lust  may  be  named  a 
will^.  For  Lib.  Retract,  i.  cap.  15,  he  saith  :  "  If  any  man 
doth  say,  that  even  the  very  lust  is  nothing  else  but  will, 
such  a  will  yet  as  is  vicious  and  subject  to  sin,  he  needeth 
not  to  be  gainsaid :  for  where  the  thing  is  manifest,  we 
must  not  strive  about  terms  and  words.  For  so  it  is  proved, 
that  without  will  there  is  no  sin  either  in  deed  or  in  pro- 
pagation^;"  that  is,  either  actual  or  original'*.  Thus  much 
Augustine,  who  doth  also  allege  other  sayings  like  to  this 
in  his  third  book  Contra  Jidianum  Pelagianum,  chap.  5.^ 
It  shall  be  sufficient  to  us  even  without  them  to  learn  by 
the  testimonies  of  the  holy  scriptures,  that  sin  is  not  only 

[1  in  opus  pravum,  Lat. ;  to  the  evil  deed.] 

[2  Et  illud  quod  in  pavvulis  dicitur  originale  peccatum  .  .  .  non  ab- 
surdo  vocatur  etiara  voluntarium,  quia  ex  primi  hominis  mala  voluntato 
contractum,  factum  est  quodammodo  hrereditarium. — Aug.  Retract. 
Lib.  I.  cap.  13.  0pp.  Tom.  i.  fol.  4.  col.  3.] 

[3  Quod  si  quisquam  dicit  etiam  ipsam  cupiditatem  nihil  esse  aliud 
quam  voluntatem,  sed  vitiosam  peccatoque  servientcm,  non  resistendum 
est,  nee  do  verbis,  cum  res  constat,  controrcrsia  facienda  est.  Sic 
enim  ostenditur  sine  voluntato  nullum  esse  peccatum,  sive  in  opero 
sivo  in  origine. — Id.  ibid.  cap.  15.  Tom.  i,  fol.  5.  col.  4.] 

[■*  that  is — original;  the  translator's  addition.] 

[5  Frustra  itaquo  putas  ideo  in  parvulis  non  esse  delictum,  quia 
sine  voluntato,  qua)  in  eis  nulla  est,  esse  non  potest,  &c. — Id.  contr. 
Jul.  Pelag.  Lib.  in.  cap.  5.  Tom.  vii.  fol.  204.  col.  4.] 


X]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    TIIlMiEOr.  389 

a  voluntary  action,  but  also  an  hereditary  corruption  or  de- 
pravation that  conieth  by  inheritance. 

Not  unlike  to  all  this"  is  that  sentence  in  Ezechiel,  where  xheson.haii 
the  Lord  saith  :   "  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  i"niquity  of* 

/.    ,,  ,      ,  1      11       T         •        .  .  .  the  father. 

lather,  but  every  man  shall  die  in  his  ovrn  sin."  For  iJ^"'^-  »'''''• 
Adam's  fall  should  do  us  no  harm,  if  it  were  not  so  that 
even  from  him  there  is  sprung  up  in  us  such  a  pervcrseness 
as  is  worthy  of  God's  just  judgment.  But  now,  since  all  the 
inclination,  disposition,  and  desire  of  our  nature,  even  in  a 
child  but  one  day  old,  is  repugnant  to  the  pureness  and  will 
of  God,  which  is  only  good  ;  no  man  therefore  is  punished 
for  his  father,  but  every  one  for  his  own  iniquity :  and  ca- 
lamities fall  even  on  the  youngest  babes,  whom  we  see  to  be 
touched  with  many  afflictions  by  the  holy  and  just  judgment 
of  the  most  just  God. 

Neither  is  their  objection  any  whit  stronger  which  say,  to  be  bom 
that  the  children  of  holy  parents  cannot  draw  or  take  any  liu"!L 
spot  of  their  parents ;  for  they  have  their  lineal  descent 
of  the  fleshly  generation,  and  not  of  the  spiritual  regene- 
ration. And  whereas  the  apostle  said,  "  The  unbeUeving  n  cor.  vu. 
husband  is  sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  ^'"' 
is  sanctified  by  the  husband :  else  were  your  children  un- 
clean ;  but  now  arc  they  clean :"  it  is  not  repugnant  to  our 
former  allegations.  For  they  are  called  holy,  not  by  the 
prerogative  of  their  birth  or  generation,  as  though  children 
were  born  "^  holy  without  any  spot  or  vice  at  all ;  but  for 
because  they,  being  born  by  nature  corrupt,  are  by  the 
virtue  of  the  covenant  and  grace  made  pure,  and  uncleanncss 
is  not  imputed  to  them,  for  Christ  his  sake,  or  the  remission 
of  sins  which  is  pronounced  in  these  words :  "  I  will  be  thy 
God,  and  the  God  of  thy  seed  after  thee."  For  of  old, 
even  those  children  which  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  were 
holy  and  blessed  received  notwithstanding  the  sign  of  cir- 
cumcision. Now  what  need,  I  pray  you,  had  they  had  of 
circumcision,  or  purging,  if  by  their  birth  they  had  had  no 
uncleanncss  in  them  ? 

That  therefore  is  utterly  false  which  yc  heard  even  now  The  catholic 

,.  iii'Ti  •!  1  doctrine  of 

that  Ca-lcstius,  the  1  clagian,  did  utter  in  these  words:  "  "\Ve  ""8'n*i »»". 
did  not  therefore  say  that  infants  are  to  be  baptized  into 

l"  His  omnibus  nihil  rcpugnat,  Lat.] 

["  sic,  Lat.  omitted ;  under  these  circumstances.] 


390  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM^ 

the  remission  of  sins,  to  the  end  that  we  should  thereby  seem 
to  affirm  that  sin  is  ex  traduce,  or  hereditary  ;  which  is  utterly 
contrary  to  the  cathoUc  sense."  For  it  is  catholic  and  true 
doctrine,  that  the  children  of  the  Jews  were  circumcised,  not 
so  much  only  because  they  were  partakers  of  the  divine 
covenant,  as  for  because  that  all  the  antiquity  of  holy  fathers 
did  so  confess,  that  in  infants  there  was  somewhat  which  had 
need  of  cutting,  that  is,  which  had  need  to  be  remitted  by  the 
grace  of  God,  and  not  be  imputed  to  them  unto  death.  It  is 
catholic  and  true  doctrine,  that  the  infants  of  Christians  are 
baptized,  not  so  much  because  they  are  the  children  of  God 
and  freely  received  into  the  covenant ;  as  for  because  there  is 
in  them,  even  from  their  birth,  somewhat  which  the  Lord  by 
his  grace  doth  wash  away,  lest  it  should  bring  upon  them 
death  and  damnation.  Yea,  that  cannot  be  catholic,  which 
doth  so  manifestly  repugn  so  many  evident  places  of  scripture, 
which  prove  that  in  infants  there  is  sin  by  propagation.  To 
confirm  this  we  may  add,  that  St  Augustine  in  his  first  book 
Contra  Julia^iwn  Pelagianiim,  cap.  2,  gathereth  together 
the  testimonies  of  the  most  excellent  learned  bishops  and 
doctors  in  the  primitive^  church,  by  which  he  proveth  that  all 
the  ministers  of  the  churches,  even  from  the  apostles'  time,  did 
All  the  an-  both  acknowlcdgo  and  openly  teach  original  sin.  In  that  place 
o/ fa\h?rs  ol  he  citeth  the  testimonies  of  Irengeus,  Cyprian,  Reticius,  Olym- 
confess(with  pius,  Hilary,  and  Ambrose,  his  father  and  master  in  christian 

one  asseut)       ■*■  *' 

original  sin.  doctriue^,  lunoceut,  Gregory,  Basil,  and  John  Chrysostom; 
and  at  length  he  inferreth :  "  Wilt  thou  now  call  so  great  a 
consent  of  catholic  priests  a  conspiracy  of  naughty  men  ? 
Neither  think  thou  that  St  Hierorae  is  to  be  contemned, 
because  he  was  but  a  priest  only,  and  no  bishop ;  who,  being 
skilful  in  the  Greek,  Latin,  and  Hebrew  tongues,  and  passing 
from  the  west  unto  the  east  church,  lived  in  holy  places  and 
the  study  of  the  sacred  scripture,  even  to  his  crone^  and 
The  east  crooked  age.  He  read  all,  or  in  a  manner  all,  the  works  of 
churches,  them  which  in  both  parts  of  the  world  did  write  of  ecclesias- 
tical doctrine ;  and  yet  he  neither  held  nor  taught  any  other- 
wise of  this  point  of  doctrine^"  And  again  the  same  Augustine, 

[1  primitive,  not  in  Lat.]  [2  in  Christo,  Lat.] 

[3  crones:  old  ewes  who  have  lost  their  teeth.     Grose's  Provincial 
Glossary,  in  voc] 

[4  An   tantam  consensionem  sacerdotiim  catliolicorum    conspira- 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINDS    THEUEOF.  391 

in  his  third  book  De  Peccatorum  Merit  Is  ct  liemlssione,  cap.  G, 
saith  :  "  Ilicromc,  expounding  the  prophecy  of  Jonas,  when  That  u.  he 
he  came  to  that  place  -n'hcre  mention  is  made  tliat  even  the  h'"i5 orTglnai 
Httlc  children  were  chastened  >Yith  fasting,  saith:  'It  began 
with  the  eldest,  and  came  even  to  the  youngest.  For  there  is 
none  without  sin;  no,  not  he  which  is  but  one  day  old,  nor  he 
whoso  grey  head  hath  seen  many  years.  For  if  the  stars  are 
not  clean  in  the  sight  of  God,  how  much  more  unclean  arc 
dust^  and  putrefying  earth,  and  those  which  are  in  subjection 
to  the  sin  of  Adam's  transgression  1' "  To  these  words  of 
Hierome  doth  Augustine  himself  annex  this  that  followeth : 
"If  it  were  so  that  we  might  easily  ask  it  of  this  most  learned 
man,  how  many  teachers  of  the  holy  scriptures  in  both  the 
tongues,  and  how  many  writers  of  christian  treatises  would  he 
reckon  up,  which,  since  the  time  that  Christ  his  church  was 
first  planted,  have  themselves  neither  thought,  of  their  prede- 
cessors learned,  nor  taught  their  successors,  any  other  than 
this  doctrine  touchino;  original  sin !  I  verily,  though  I  have 
read  nothing  so  much  as  he,  do  not  remember  that  I  have 
read  any  other  doctrine  of  Christians  which  admit  or  receive 
both  the  testaments,  whether  they  were  in  the  unity  of  the 
catholic  church,  or  otherwise  in  schisms  and  heresies :  I  do 
not  remember  that  I  have  read  any  other  thing  in  them, 
whose  writings  touching  this  matter  I  could  come  by  to  read 
them,  if  either  they  did  follow,  or  thought  that  they  did 
follow,  or  would  have  men  believe  that  they  did  follow,  the 
canonical  scriptures^"    Thus  far  hath  Augustine ;  teaching,  in 

tionem  dicturus  es  porditorum?  Nee  sanctum  Hieronymum,  quia 
presbyter  fuit,  contcmncnduni  arbitrcris ;  qui  Grrcco  ct  Latino,  insupcr 
et  Ilebrreo  eruditus  eloquio,  ex  occidcntali  ad  oricntalem  transicns  ec- 
clesiam,  in  locis  Sanctis  atquc  in  Uteris  sacris  usque  ad  decropitam 
vixit  cetatem.  Ilic  omncs  vel  pcno  omnes,  qui  ante  ilium  ex  utraquo 
parte  orbis  de  doctrina  ecclcsiastica  scripserant,  legit,  nee  aliam  do  hac 
re  tenuit  prompsitquo  sentcntiam. — Aug.  0pp.  Tom.  vii.  fol.  11)7. 
col.  1.] 

[5  vermis,  Lat. ;  a  worm.] 

[0  Nam  in  co  quod  in  Jonam  proplictam  scripsit  (Hicronymus), 
cum  ad  cum  vcnissct  locum,  ubi  oommcmorantur  otiam  parvuli  jojunio 
castigati :  Major,  inquit,  ictas  incipit,  ct  usque  ad  niinorom  p<>rvonit. 
Nulius  cnim  absque  pcccato,  nee  si  unius  quidcm  diei  fuorit  vita  ejus, 
et  innumcrabilcs  anni  vita3  illius.  Si  cnim  stcll.T:  munda)  non  sunt  in 
conspcctu  Dei,  quanto  magis  vermis  ct  ])utrcdo,  ct  ii  qui  pcccato  of- 
fendcntis  Adam  tcncMitvn-  obnoxii!     Ilunc  docti.'^simuin  viruru  si  I'aoilo 


392  THE     THIRD    DECADE.  [sER.M. 

the  very  beginning,  that  all  the  saints  did  by  a  full  consent 
and  agreement  in  doctrine  most  expressly  grant  and  confess, 
that  original  sin  is  even  in  new-born  infants.  Methinketh 
that  St  Hierome  did  not  only  in  Jonas,  but  also  much  more 
evidently  in  Ezechiel,  confess  and  affirm  original  sin.  His  words 
are  to  be  seen,  Comment,  lib.  xiv.  in  cap,  47,  ad  Ezechielem, 
and  are  verbatim  as  followeth :  "  What  man  can  make  his 
boast  that  he  hath  a  chaste  heart,  or  to  whose  mind  by  the 
windows  of  the  eyes  the  death  of  concupiscence,  or  (to  use  a 
milder  term)  the  tickling  of  the  mind,  doth  not  enter  in  ?  For 
the  world  is  set  in  wickedness ;  and  even  from  his  childhood 
the  heart  of  man  is  set  to  naughtiness ;  so  that  not  the  very 
first  day  of  a  man's  nativity  his  nature  is  free  from  sin  and 
naughtiness.  Whereupon  David  in  the  Psalm  saith :  '  For 
behold  I  was  conceived  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  my  mother  con- 
ceived me.'  Not  in  the  iniquities  of  my  mother,  or  in  mine 
own  sins ;  but  in  the  iniquities  of  our  mortal  state.  And 
therefore  the  apostle  saith,  'Death  reigned  from  Adam  to 
Moses,  over  them  also  which  had  not  sinned  with  the  like 
transgression  as  did  Adam^'"  Thus  much  hath  Hierome. 
And  we  have  hitherto  alleged  all  these  sayings,  to  the  end 

interrogare  possemus,  quam  multas  utrius(iue  linguae  divinarum  scrip- 
turarum  tractatores  et  Christianarum  disputationum  scriptores  con^- 
memoraret,  qui  non  aliud  ex  quo  Cliristi  ecclesia  est  constituta 
senserunt,  non  aliud  a  majoi'ibus  acceperunt,  non  aliud  posteris  tra- 
diderunt !  Ego  quidem,  quamvis  longe  paucioi'a  legerim,  non  memini 
me  aliud  audisse  a  Christianis,  qui  utrumque  accipiunt  testamentum, 
non  solum  in  catholica  ecclesia,  verum  etiani  in  qualibet  liseresi  vel 
schismate  constitutis ;  non  memini  me  aliud  legisse  apud  eos,  quos  de 
his  rebus  aliquid  scribentes  legere  potui,  qui  scripturas  canonicas 
sequerentur,  vel  sequi  se  crederent  credivo  voluissent. — August.  0pp. 
Tom.  VII.  fol.  148.  col.  4.] 

\}  Quis  enim  hominum  gloriari  potest  castum  se  habere  cor  ?  vol 
ad  cujus  mentom  per  oculorum  fenestras  mors  concupiscentine  non 
introivit,  et,  ut  parum  dicam,  animi  titillatio  ?  Mundus  enim  in  ma- 
ligno  positus  est ;  et  a  pueritia  appositum  est  cor  hominis  ad  ma- 
lum :  ut  ne  unius  quidem  dioi  a  nativitatis  suaj  exordio  sine  pcccato  sit 
humana  conditio.  Undo  et  David  confitetur  in  Psalnio,  Ecce  enim  in 
iniquitatibus  conceptus  sum,  et  in  peccatis  concepit  mo  mater  mca. 
Non  in  iniquitatibus  matris  meaj,  vel  certe  meis ;  sed  in  iniquitatibus 
humanoo  conditionis.  Undo  et  apostolus  dicit,  Regnavit  mors  ab  Adam 
usque  ad  Moysen,  etiam  super  eos  qui  non  pcccavcrunt  in  similitudiiiem 
prscA'aricationis  Adro. — Hieron.  0pp.  Tom.  ni.  col.  1055.  Par.  1704.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    ANH    THE     KINDS    TIIEUEOI-.  393 

wc  might  prove  that  original  sin  is  the  natural  or  hereditary 
corruption  of  man's  nature. 

Let   us  now  see   what    and  how  great   the  hereditary  what  and 

o  ^    how  great 

naughtiness  or  corruption  of  our  nature  is,  and  what  power  it  IJjfn"^/^'^ 
hath  to  work^  in  man.  Our  nature  verily,  as  I  shewed  you  "*'"'*'*• 
above,  was  before  the  fall  most  excellent  and  pure  in  our 
father  Adam  :  but  after  the  fall  it  did  by  God's  just  judg- 
ment become  corrupt  and  utterly  naught,  which  is  in  that 
naughtiness  by  propagation,  or  e.v  traduce,  derived  into  all 
us  which  are  the  posterity  and  offspring  of  Adam ;  as  both 
experience  and  the  thing  itself  do  evidently  declare,  as  wx'll  in 
sucklings  or  infants  as  those  of  riper  years.  For  even  very 
babes  give  manifest  tokens  of  evident  depravation  so  soon  as 
they  once  begin  to  be  able  to  do  anything;  yea,  before  they  can 
perfectly  sound  any  one  syllable  of  a  whole  word.  All  our 
understanding  is  dull,  blunt,  gross,  and  altogether  blind  in 
heavenly  things.  Our  judgment  in  divine  matters  is  perverse 
and  frivolous.  For  there  arise  in  us  most  horrible  and  absurd 
thoughts  and  opinions  touching  God,  his  judgments,  and  won- 
derful works.  Yea,  our  whole  mind  is  apt  and  ready  to 
errors,  to  fables,  and  our  own  destruction  :  and  when  as  our 
judgments  are  nothing  but  mere  folly,  yet  do  we  prefer  them 
far  above  God's  wisdom,  which  we  esteem  but  foolishness  in 
comparison  of  our  own  conceits  and  corrupt  imaginations  ;  for 
he  lied  not  which  said  :  "  The  natural  man  perceiveth  not  the  [i  cor.  a. 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  for  they  are  foohshness  unto 
him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned."  Now  Paul  calleth  him  the  natural  man^,  which 
liveth  naturally  by  the  vital  spirit,  and  is  not  regenerate  by 
the  Holy  Ghost :  and  since  we  all  are  such,  we  are  therefore 
wholly  overcome  and  governed  of  phikmtia,  that  is,  too  great 
a  self-love  and  delight  in  ourselves,  whereby  all  things  that 
we  ourselves  do  work  do  highly  please  us ;  looking  still  very 
busily  to  our  own  selves  and  our  commodity,  when  in  tho 
meantime  we  neglect  all  others,  yea,  rather  do  afflict  them. 
Neither  did  Plato  unadvisedly  esteem  that  vice  of  self-love  to 
be  the  very  root  of  every  evil'.   Furthermore,  our  whole  will  is 

[2  quid  cfliciat,  Lat.] 
[3  animalcm  Iiomineni,  Lat.] 

[«  Stokci  Floril.  Tit.  xxiii,   Tom.   i.  p.  427.  cd.  Gaisfurd.  0.\on. 
1822.] 


39-1:  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

led  captive  by  concupiscence,  which,  as  a  root  envenomed  with 
poison,  infecteth  all  that  is  in  man,  and  doth  incline,  draw  on, 
and  drive  men  to  things  carnal,  forbidden,  and  contrary  to 
God,  to  the  end  that  he  may  greedily  pursue  them,  put  all 
his  delight  in  them,  and  content  himself  with  them.     ]\Iore- 
-  over  there  is  in  us  no  power  or  ability  to  do  any  good :   for 
we  are  slow,  sluggish,  and  heavy  to  goodness;  but  lively, 
quick,  and  ready  enough  to  any  evil  or  naughtiness.      And, 
that  I  may  at  last  conclude,  and  briefly  express  the  whole 
force  and  signification  of  our  hereditary  depravation  and  cor- 
ruption ;  I  say,  that  this  depravation  of  our  nature  is  nothing 
Our  deprava-  olso  but  the  blottiug  of  God's  image  in  us.     There  was  in  our 
biouingout  father  Adam  before  his  fall  the  very  image  and  likeness  of 

of  the  image  .    ,     •  ,  i  i      i       • 

of  God  in  us.  Qod  ;  which  image,  as  the  apostle  expoundeth  it,  was  a  con- 
formity and  participation  of  God's  wisdom,  justice,  hohness, 
truth,  integrity,  innocency,  immortality,  and  eternal  fehcity. 
Therefore  what  else  can  the  blotting  or  wiping  out  of  this 
image  be  but  original  -sin ;  that  is,  the  hatred  of  God,  the 
ignorance  of  God,  foolishness,  distrustfulness,  desperation,  self- 
'  love,  unrighteousness,  uncleanness,  lying,  hypocrisy,  vanity, 
corruption,  violent  injury,  wickedness,  mortality,  and  eternal 
infelicity  ?  This  corrupt  image  and  likeness  is  by  propagation 
derived  into  us  all,  according  to  that  saying  in  the  fifth 
of  Genesis :  "  Adam  begat  a  son  in  his  own  similitude  and 
likeness."  Therefore  as  our  father  Adam  was  himself  cor- 
rupted, depraved,  and  full  of  calamities,  so  hath  he  begotten 
us  his  sons  corrupt,  depraved,  and  full  of  miseries^:  so  that 
all  we  which  do  descend  of  his  unpure  seed  are  born  infected 
with  the  contagious  poison  of  sin.  For  of  a  rotten  root  do 
spring  as  rotten  branches,  which  in  like  manner  put  over 
their  rottenness  into  the  little  twigs  that  shoot  out  and  grow 
upon  them. 

Original  sin  And  this  cvil  verily,  this  corruption  and  this  sin,  although 

con  emneti.  .^  ^.^  ^^^.^  .^  infanfcs,  and  by  reason  of  their  tender  age  doth 
not  break  forth  into  any  deed-doing,  yet  notwithstanding  it 
is  a  sin;  and  such  a  sin  verily  as  maketh  them  endangered 
unto  God's  wrath,  and  separateth  them  from  the  fellowship 
of  God.  For  with  the  most  holy  God,  who  "  is  a  consuming 
fire,"  no  man  can  abide  but  he  that  is  unspotted  and  clean 

[Roin.  iii.     from  the  filthincss  of  sins.    And  Paul  saith  ;  "  All  have  sinned, 

23.J 

[1  corrupt — miseries,  the  translator's  addition.  1 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  395 

and  are  destitute,  or  have  need,  of  the  glory  of  God."  This 
glory  of  God  is  the  very  imago  of  God :  whereof  because 
they  are  destitute,  they  being  corrupted  with  original  sin 
are  worthify  excluded  from  the  fellowship  of  God.  To  this 
place  doth  belong  the  whole  treatise  of  concupiscence  in  the 
fourth  sermon  of  this  third  Decade :  where  I  taught  you, 
that  bare  concupiscence,  which  is  not  yet  burst  forth  to  the 
deed-doing,  is  a  sin  ;  and  that  too  such  a  sin  as  maketh  all 
men  subject  to  the  curse  of  God.  For  it  is  written:  "  Cursed  [neut  xxvn. 
be  every  one  which  abideth  not  in  all  things  that  are  written  'o-i 
in  the  book  of  this  law."  Therefore  the  first  effect  of  ori- 
ginal sin  is  this,  that  it  bringeth  wrath,  death,  and  damnation 
upon  very  infants,  and  so  consequently  upon  all  mankind : 
whereof,  that  it  may  the  more  firmly  be  settled  in  every 
man's  mind  without  all  scruple  of  doubting,  I  will  by  some 
store  of  testimonies  out  of  the  scripture  make  manifest  proof 
unto  you,  not  by  repeating  those  places  again  which  I  have 
already  cited  in  this  sermon,  and  in  the  fourth  sermon  of  this 
third  Decade. 

The  Lord  in  the  gospel  saith  to  Nicodemus  :  "  Verily, 
I  say  unto  thee,  unless  a  man  be  born  from  above^  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God."  And  again^  :  "  Unless  a  man  be  rjohniii.3. 
born  of  water  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost"*,  he  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God.  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is 
flesh  ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  In 
these  words  are  comprehended  two  things  worthy  to  be  re- 
membered, and  very  consonant  to  our  present  argument. 
First,  none  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  but  those  tliat 
be  regenerate  from  above ^  by  the  Holy  Ghost :  therefore  our 
first  birth  tendcth  to  death,  and  not  to  life  ;  for  in  our  first 
nativity  we  are  born  to  death.  The  latter  is,  "That  which 
is  born  of  flesh  is  flesh  :"  therefore  in  our  first  nativity  we 
are  all  born  flesh.  But  touching  the  disposition  of  the  flesh 
and  the  force  thereof,  the  apostle  saith  :  "  The  fleshly  mind  is  [itom.viii.?.] 
enmity  against  God  :  for  it  is  not  obedient  to  tlie  law  of  God, 
neither  can  be."  Therefore  that  fleshly  birth  engcndcreth 
us,  not  the  friends  and  sons,  but  the  enemies,  of  God ;  and  so 
consequently  doth  make  us  endangered  to  the  wrath  of  God. 

[2  So  margin  of  Autb.  Vcr.] 

[3  Amen  dice  tibi,  Lat.  omitted  ;    Verily,  I  say  unto  thcc] 

[<  et  spiritu,  Lat.]  [^  c  cceio,  Lat.] 


396  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

Paul  in  his  second  chapter  to  the  Ephesians  saith : 
"  We  were  by  nature  the  sons  of  wrath,  even  as  other." 
In  which  words  he  pronounceth  that  all  men  are  damned. 
For  all  those  that  are  damned,  or  are  worthy  of  eternal 
death,  and  all  such  with  whom  God  hath  good  cause  to  be 
offended,  he  calleth  the  sons  of  wrath,  after  the  proper 
phrase  of  the  Hebrew  speech.  For  the  wrath  of  God  doth 
signify  the  punishment  which  is  by  the  just  judgment  of  God 
laid  upon  us  men.  And  he  is  called  the  child  of  death, 
which  is  adjudged  or  appointed  to  be  killed.  So  is  also  the 
son  of  perdition,  &c.  Now  mark,  that  he  calleth  us  all  the 
sons  of  wrath,  that  is,  the  subjects  of  pain  and  damnation, 
even  by  nature,  in  birth,  from  our  mother's  womb.  But 
whatsoever  is  naturally  in  all  men,  that  is  original :  there- 
fore original  sin  maketh  us  the  sons  of  wrath ;  that  is,  we 
are  all  for  our  original  corruption  made  subject  to  death  and 
utter  damnation.  This  place  of  Paul  for  the  proof  of  this 
argument  is  worthy  to  be  remembered  \ 

The  same  apostle  in  the  first  to  the  Colossians  saith : 
"  God  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and 
hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son."  Now 
if  we  be  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  God, 
then  were  we  once  in  the  kingdom  of  the  devil.  And  to 
this  place  belong  very  many  testimonies  of  the  same  apostle 
in  the  fifth  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans :  "  By  one 
man's  sin  many  are  dead.'^  Again;  "By  one  that  sinned 
came  death  ;  for  judgment  came  by  one  unto  condemnation." 
Again ;  "  For  the  sin  of  one  death  reigned  by  the  means  of 
one."  And  again ;  "  By  the  sin  of  one  sin  came  upon  all 
men^  unto  condemnation."  Finally,  original  sin  is  by  David 
'  and  Paul  expressly  called  sin :  therefore  death  is  due  to 
original  sin  ;  for  "  the  reward  of  sin  is  death." 
Original  sin  "Wc  do  therefore  conclude,  that  infants  do  bring  dam- 

toaii.'  nation  with  them  into  this  world  even  from  their  mothers' 

wombs ;  because  they  bring  with  them  a  corrupt  nature : 
and  therefore  they  perish  not  by  any  others',  but  by  their 
own,  fault  and  naughtiness.  For  although  St  Augustine  doth 
in  one  place  seem  to  call  this  sin  Peccatum  alienum,  that 
is,  another's  sin,  (that  thereby   he  may   shew  how  it  is  by 

[1  vakle  est  insignis,  Lat.] 

['■^  propagatum  est  nialiun,  Lat.  aiul  Erasmus.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THK     KINDS    TIIEIltor.  307 

propagation  derived  from  other  into  us,)  yet  doth  lie  confess 
that  it  is  in  very  deed  and  truly  proper  to  all  and  every 
several  one  of  us^.  And  although  it  he  so,  that  for  lack  of  ago 
in  a  new-horn  habe  this  disease  hath  not  already  brought  forth 
the  fruit  of  his  iniquity  ;  yet  notwithstanding  the  very  whole 
nature  of  the  babe  is  nothing  but  filthy  corruption,  and  a 
certain  seed  of  sin  and  wickedness,  which  cannot  choose  but 
be  abominable  unto  the  Lord  :  for  God  doth  hate  all  manner 
of  uncleanncss'*. 

With  this  agreeth''  that  sentence  of  Paul,  where  he  saith :  where  there 
"  Where  no  law  is,  there  is  no  transgression."    For  the  apos-  there  is  no 

,  ,  .  transgression. 

tie  doth  not  absolutely  say  that  the  sm  or  transgression  !,««">•  '^•• 
(which  is  sin  in  very  deed  in  the  sight  of  God)  is  no  sin ; 
but  he  respcctcth  the  estimation  of  men,  how  they  do  repute 
it.  For  men,  before  sin  doth  appear  and  is  opened  unto 
them  by  the  law,  do  not  so  repute  or  think  of  sin  as  it 
ought  in  very  deed  to  be  esteemed.  The  same  Paul  in  ano- 
ther place  saith  :  "  Sin  without  the  law  was  once  dead:"  and,  Rom.  vii. 
"  I  once  lived  without  law ;  but  when  the  law  came,  sin 
revived."  If  so  be  now  that  sin  revived,  then  did  it  live 
before  the  law,  afore  it  was  stirred  up  by  the  law,  although 
it  did  not  so  rifely  then,  as  now,  shew  forth  the  strength  and 
force  of  itself.  To  this  also  is  to  be  added  that  saying  of 
Paul :  "  Sin  was  in  the  world  even  to  the  law  ;  but  sin  is  not  [Rom.  v.  13  ] 
imputed  when  there  is  no  law."  Lo  here,  sin  was  in  the 
world  before  the  law,  but  it  was  not  imputed  ;  not  because  God 
did  not  impute  it,  but  because  men  do  not  impute  it  to 
themselves.  Under  cinders  doth  fire  lie  hid ;  which  is  very 
fire  indeed,  but,  because  it  casteth  out  no  flame  or  light  of 
itself,  it  is  not  thought  to  bo  fire.  And  for  that  cause  the 
learned  and  godly  man  of  famous  memory,  Ulderick  Zuinglius'',  uiderick 

original  sin. 

[3  Ncc  sic  dicuntur  ista  allena  peccata,  tanquam  omnino  ad  parvulos 
noil  pcrtineant . .  .  Sed  dicuntur  alicmt,  quia  iiondum  ipsi  agcbant  vitas 
proprias,  sed  quicquid  crat  in  futura  propagine  vita  unius  hominis 
contincbat. — Augijst.  Marccllino  do  Bai)tisin.  Parv.  Epist.  1<».  Upp. 
Tom.  II.  fol.  180.  col.  3.     Par.  1531.] 

[■*  This  paragraph  is  borrowed  ahnost  literally  from  Calvin,  Instit. 
Lib.  II.  cap.  1.  §  8.] 

[5  Ilis  niliil  rcpugnat,  Lat.] 

["  I'cccatum  bifariam  in  cvangclica  doctrina  accipitur:  j)rimuni, 
pro  morbo  isto,  quem  ex  generis  auctorc  contrahimus,  quo  amori  nostri 
addictis  suum  .  . .  Bum  morbum  intelligit  Paulus  lioin.  vii.  quum  dicit, 


398  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [SERM. 

did  diligently  distinguish  betwixt  sin  and  disease  or  infirmity, 
when  once  he  had  occasion  to  dispute  of  original  sin,  which  he 
chose  rather  to  call  a  disease  than  sin:  because  by  the  name 
of  sin  all  men  do  understand  the  naughty  act  committed  by 
our  own  consent  and  will  against  the  law  of  God ;  but  by  the 
name  of  disease  or  sickness  they  understand  a  certain  corrup- 
tion and  depravation  of  the  nature  that  was  created  good,  and 
the  miserable  condition  of  bondage  whereinto  it  is  brought  : 
even  as  also  we  read^  before,  that  Augustine  did  call  this 
original  sin  j^eccatwn  alienum,  another's  sin,  that  thereby 
he  might  give  us  to  understand  that  it  is  hereditary,  and 
doth  descend  from  others  into  us;  and  yet  he  denied  not 
but  it  is  proper  to  every  several  one  of  us.  In  hke  manner 
Zuinglius  denied  not  original  sin,  as  some  did  falsely  slander 
him:  he  thought  not  that  by  itself  it  is  unhurtful  to  infants, 
but  so  far  forth  as  it  is  by  the  grace  of  God,  through  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  virtue  of  God's  promise  and 
covenant,  made  harmless  unto  them 2,  His  mind  was  to  make  an 
exquisite  difference  betwixt  the  actual  and  original  sins  3.  For 
in  rendering  an  account  of  his  faith  in  the  council  held  at 

Jam  non  ego  operor  illud,  sed  inhabitans  in  me  peccatmii .  .  .  Secundo 
loco  accipitm*  peccatum  pro  eo  quod  contra  legem  fit ;  ut,  per  legem 
cognitio  peccati.  Rom.  vii.  Actio  ergo  qusecunque  tandem,  quae  contra 
legem  fit,  peccatum  appellatur. — Zuingl.  de  "Vera  et  Falsa  Relig.  Com- 
ment, p.  116.  Tiguri.  1525,] 

[1  audivimus,  Lat. ;  heard,  ed.  1577.] 

[2  Vitium  hoc  et  morbus  liomini,  quoad  bonum  et  malum  non 
discernit,  pro  peccato  et  culpa  imputari  nequit,  utcunque  gravis  sit  et 
pestifer.  Unde  coUigimus  peccatum  originale  morbum  quidoni  esse, 
qui  tamen  per  se  culpabilis  non  est,  nee  damnationis  pcenam  infcrre 
potest, .  . .  donee  homo  contagione  hac  corruptus  legem  Domini  trans- 
greditur ;  quod  tum  demum  fieri  consuevit,  cum  legem  sibi  positam 
videt  et  intelligit .  .  .  Peccatum  ergo  originale  damnationem  non  me- 
rotur,  si  modo  quis  parentcs  fideles  nactus  fuerit.  Qurocunquo  enim 
hoc  loco  de  originali  infantium  vel  parvulorum  peccato  loquimur,  ad 
fidelium  duntaxat  infantes  referri  debent,  et  do  solis  illis  intelligi. — 
Id.  De  Baptismo.  Tom.  11.  pp.  90,  89.] 

[3  Diximus  originalem  contagionem  morbum  esse,  non  peccatum, 
quod  peccatum  cum  culpa  conjunctum  est ;  culpa  vero  ex  commisso 
vol  admisso  ejus  nascitur  qui  facinus  dcsignavit .  . .  Morbus  ergo  iste 
ac  vitium,  primi  parentis  culjia  inllictus,  infecit  sobolcm,  non  soboles 
seipsam.  Cum  ergo  peccatum  appellatur  in  scripturis,  per  denomina- 
tionem  hoc  fieri  constaro  jam  satis  arbitror. — Id.  De  Pecc.  Orig.  ad 
Urban.  Rheg.  Tom.  11.  p.  IIG.] 


X  ]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINKS    THEUliOr.  390 

Augusta'*,  the  year  of  our  Lord  15o0,  he  said  :  "I  acknowledge 
that  original  sin  is  by  condition  and  contagion  born  in  and  with 
all  them  that  arc  begotten  by  the  act  of  a  man  and  a  vroman  : 
and  I  know  that  we  are  the  sons  of  wrath.  Neither  am  I  any- 
thing against  it,  that  this  disease  and  condition  should,  as  Paul 
termeth  it,  be  called  sin  :  yea,  it  is  such  a  sin,  as  that  they, 
whosoever  arc  born  in  it,  arc  the  enemies  and  adversaries  of 
God  Almighty.  For  hither  doth  the  condition  of  their  birth 
draw  them,  and  not  the  committing  of  wickedness,  except  it 
be  so  fiir  forth  as  our  fii*st  parent  committed  it.  The  very 
true  cause  therefore  of  our  disloyalty  and  death  is  the  crime 
and  wickedness  which  Adam  committed ;  and  that  in  very 
deed  is  sin  :  and  this  sin  which  clcaveth  to  us  is  in  very  deed 
a  disease  and  condition,  yea,  it  is  a  necessity  of  dying  ^"  And 
so  forth  as  foUoweth ;  for  hitherto  I  have  rehearsed  his 
very  words. 

There  is  now  remaining  the  other  effect  of  original  sin  for  original  sm 
me  to  expound.      It  breaketh  out  and  bringcth  forth  in  us  fonifthl 
those  works  that  the  scriptures  call  the  works  of  the  flesh;  thefle»h. 
even  like  as  when  an  oven  set  on  fire  doth  cast  out  flames 
and  sparkles ;    or  as    a   fountain  that  ever  springeth  doth 
pour  out  water  in  great  abundance^.      There  is  no  quietness 
in  the  nature  of  man :  for  covetousness  with  filthy  lust  ariseth 
in  it,  ambition  clcaveth  to  it,  anger  invadeth  it,  pride  puftcth 
it  up  and  causeth  it  to  swell,  drunkenness  delighteth  it,  and 
envy  torments  both  thyself  and  others.     Therefore  the  Lord 
in  the  gospel  saith  :   "  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  [Matt.xv.i:>.] 
murders,  adulteries,  whoredoms,  thefts,  false-witncss-bearings, 
and  evil  speakings."     Again,  Paul  in  the  fifth  chapter  to  the 

[^  Augsburg.      See  Slcidan.  Comment,  dc  Statu  Rolig.  Lib.  vii.] 
[5  Originalo  poccatuin   per  conditioncni  et  oontagionein  agnasci 
omnibus,  qui  ex  adfectu  maris  ct  fcemintc  gignuntur,  aguosco,  ct  nos 

esse  natura  filios  irsc  scio Quanquam  nihil  moror  hunc  niorbum  ct 

conditionem,  juxta  Pauli  morem,  appellari  peccatum.  Imo  talo  est 
pcccatum,  ut  quicunquc  in  eo  nascuntur  hostes  et  adversarii  Dei  sunt. 
Hue  enim  traliit  illos  nativitatis  conditio,  non  scclcris  perpctratio,  nisi 
quantum  hoc  Bcmel  perpetravit  primus  parens.  Vera  igitur  pcrdu- 
ellionis  ct  mortis  causa  est  perjictratum  ab  Adam  crimen  ac  ncfas  ; 
atquc  hoc  vere  est  pcccatum :  at  peccatum  istud,<|uod  nobis  adha-rescit, 
et  vere  morbus  ot  conditio,  imo  nccessitas  est  moricndi. — Id.  ad  Carol. 
Rom.  Imp.  Fidei  ratio.  Tom.  ii.  p.  539.] 

[6  aut  scaturigo  aquara  pcronnitcr  pro  fund  it,  Lat] 


400  THE   THIRD  decade.  [serm. 

Galatians  doth  reckon  up  no  small  number  of  the  works  of  the 
flesh ;  even  as  ho  doth  the  like  also  in  the  first  and  third 
chapters  of  his  epistle  to  the  Romans.  In  the  fourth  to  the 
Ephesians  he  doth  very  properly  ^  describe  those  works  of  the 
flesh,  which  spring  out  of  the  natural  corruption  of  all  them^ 
which  are  not  regenerate  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  This  I  say," 
saith  he,  "  and  testify  unto  you^,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not 
as  other  Gentiles  walk,  in  vanity  of  their  mind ;  darkened  in 
cogitation,  being  ahenated  from  the  life  of  God  by  the  igno- 
rance that  is  in  them,  by  the  blindness  of  their  hearts  :  which 
being  past  feeling  have  given  themselves  over  unto  wanton- 
ness, to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness."  This,  though 
it  be  but  little,  shall  suffice  for  this  place ;  for  I  will  more 
largely  prosecute  it  in  the  treatise  of  actual  sin  :  to  the  hand- 
ling whereof  I  will  presently  pass,  so  soon  as  I  have  by  the 
way  admonished  you,  that  I  have  not  without  good  cause  thus 
far  in  many  words  spoken  of  the  cause  of  original  sin,  that 
is,  of  man's  depravation  and  the  corruption  of  all  his  strength. 
On  these  For  as  in  these  are  opened  the  veins  of  pure  doctrine,  so 

foundations  in  them  are  placed  the  foundations  of  our  faith  and  whole 

ot  our  faith  ./.i  •• 

are  laid.  belicf.  For  if  there  be  no  origmal  sin,  then  is  there  no  grace  : 
or  if  there  be  any,  yet  shall  it  have  nothing  to  work  in  us. 
If  our  own  strength  is  whole  and  sound,  then  have  we  no 
need  of  any  physician.  In  vain  therefore  came  the  Son  of 
God  into  the  world'';  for  then  shall  men  be  saved  by  their 
own  strength  and  ability  :  and  so  shall  the  foundation  of  our 
faith  be  quite  turned  upside  down.  Therefore  St  Augustine 
is  very  vehement  in  this  cause ;  whose  golden  words  I  will 
recite  unto  you,  dearly  beloved,  out  of  his  second  book  De 
Originali  Peccato  contra  Pelagium  et  Coelestium.  In  the 
twenty-third  and  twenty-fourth  chapters  I  find  written  as  fol- 
io weth  :  "There  is  great  diversity  in  these  questions,  which 
are  thought  to  be  beside  the  articles  of  faith,  and  those 
wherein  (keeping  sound  the  faith  whereby  we  are  Christians)  it 
is  either  not  known  what  is  true,  and  so  the  sentence  defini- 
tive is  suspended ;  or  else  it  is  otherwise  guessed  at  by  human 
and  unassured  suspicion  than  the  thing  itself  in  very  deed  is : 
as  for  example,  when  it  is  demanded  of  what  sort  and  where 

[}  graphice,  Lat.]  [^  in  omnibus,  Lat.] 

[3  per  Dominum,  Lat.  omitted  ;  by  the  Lord.] 
[4  missus,  Lat.  omitted;  being  sent.] 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEUEOF.  401 

paradise  is,  where  God  placed  man  whom  he  liad  made  of 
tlie  dust  of  the  earth,  when  as  notwithstanding  cliristian  faitli 
doubteth  not  but  that  there  is  a  paradise."  And  after  the 
recital  of  a  few  more  such  questions,  at  last  he  saitli :  "Who 
may  not  perceive  in  these  and  such  like  sundry  and  innumer- 
able questions,  appertaining  either  to  the  most  secret  works 
of  God,  or  the  most  dark  and  intricate  places  of  the  holy 
scriptures,  which  it  is  hard  to  comprehend  or  define  in  any 
certain  order,  both  that  many  things  are  unknown  without 
the  peril  of  christian  faith,  and  also  that  in  some  points  men 
do  err  without  any  crime  of  heretical  doctrine  ?  But  concern- 
ing the  two  men ;  by  the  one  of  whom  we  are  sold  under  sin, 
by  the  other  redeemed  from  sin  ;  by  one  wo  are  cast  headlong 
into  death,  by  the  other  we  are  made  free  unto  life ;  because 
that  man  did  in  himself  destroy  us  by  doing  his  own  will  and 
not  the  will  of  him  that  made  him,  but  this  man  hath  in  him- 
self saved  us  by  doing  not  his  own  will  but  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  him;  therefore,  in  the  consideration  of  these  two  christian 
men  christian  faith  doth  properly  consist.      For  there  is  one  eth  in  the 

^        ^         *'  /~ii     •        T  consideration 

God  and  one  Mediator  of  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus  ;  of  two  men. 
because  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  unto 
men  in  which  they  must  be  saved ;  and  in  him  hath  God  ap- 
pointed all  men  to  trust,  raising  him  up  from  death  to  life. 
Therefore  christian  verity  doubteth  not  but  that  without  this 
faith,  that  is,  without  the  faith  of  the  only  Mediator  of  God 
and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus  ;  without  the  belief,  I  say,  of 
his  resurrection,  which  God  hath  prescribed  to  men,  which 
cannot  be  truly  believed  without  the  belief  of  his  incarnation 
and  death ;  without  the  faith  therefore  of  the  incarnation, 
death,  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  none  of  the  ancient  just  men 
could  be  cleansed  and  justified  of  God  from  their  sins  :  whether 
they  were  in  the  number  of  those  just  men  whom  the  holy 
scripture  mcntloneth  ;  or  in  the  number  of  those  just  men 
whom  the  scripture  nameth  [not],  and  yet  are  to  be  believed  to 
have  been  cither  before  the  deluge,  or  betwixt  the  deluge  and 
the  law,  or  in  the  very  time  of  the  law  ;  not  only  among  the 
children  of  Israel,  as  the  prophets  were,  but  also  without  that 
people,  as  Job  was.      For  even  their  hearts  were  cleansed  by  s.,mc»crc 

„.,^,,,      ,.  ...  ,..      sjivol  be»iilc 

the  same  faith  of  the  Mediator,  and  charity  was  poured  into  israci  but 
them  by  the  same  Holy  Spirit,  which  brcatheth  where  he  listcth,  chmu 
not  following  after  merits,  but  oven  working  the  very  merits 

[UULLINGER,   II. J 


402  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

themselves.  For  God's  grace  will  not  be  by  any  means,  unless 
it  be  free  by  all  means.  Although  therefore  death  reigned  from 
Adam  unto  Moses,  because  the  law  given  by  Moses  could  not 
overcome  it ;  for  there  was  no  such  law  given  as  could  quicken, 
but  such  a  law  as  whose  office  was  to  shew,  that  the  dead,  to 
the  quickening  of  whom  grace  was  necessary,  were  not  only 
overthrown  by  the  propagation  and  dominion  of  sin,  but  were 
also  condemned  by  the  hidden^  transgression  of  the  very  law 
itself ;  not  that  every  one  should  perish  that  did  then  under- 
stand it  in  the  mercy  of  God,  but  that  every  one,  being 
through  the  dominion  of  death  appointed  unto  punishment 
and  detected  to  himself  by  the  transgression  of  the  law, 
should  seek  for  the  help  of  God;  that  where  sin  abounded, 
grace  might  more  abound,  which  alone  doth  deliver  from  the 
body  of  this  death.  Although  therefore  the  law  given  by 
Moses  could  not  rid  any  man  from  the  kingdom  of  death,  yet 
in  the  very  time  of  the  law  were  the  men  of  God  not  under 
the  terrifying,  convincing,  and  punishing  law,  but  under  the 
delectable,  saving,  and  delivering  grace.  There  were  among 
them  some  which  said,  'In  iniquity  was  I  conceived,  and  in 
sin  hath  my  mother  fed  me  in  her  womb  ^.'  "  And  so  forth  ; 
for  hitherto  I  have  cited  the  very  words  of  St  Augustine. 

{}  The  translator  read  ahdlta  for  addita.'] 

[2  Longe  aliter  se  habent  qufestiones  istse,  quas  esse  prteter  fidem 
ai'bitratur,  quam  sunt  illse,  in  quibus,  salva  fide  qua  Christian!  sumus, 
aut  ignoratur  quid  verum  sit  et  sententia  definitiva  suspenditur,  aut 
aliter  quam  est  humana  et  infirma  suspicione  conjicitur :  veluti  cum 
quceritur  qualis  vel  ubi  sit  paradisus,  ubi  constituit  Deus  hoininem 
quern  formavit  ex  pulvere,  cum  tamcn   esse  ilium  paradisum  fides 

Christiana  non  dubitet Quis  enim  non  sentiat  in  his  atque  hujus- 

modi  variis  et  innumerabilibus  quoestionibus,  sive  ad  obscurissima 
opera  Dei  sive  ad  scripturarum  abditissimas  latebras  pertinentibus, 
quas  certo  aliquo  genere  complecti  ac  definire  difficile  est,  et  multa 
ignorari  salva  Christiana  fide,  et  alicubi  errari  sine  aliquo  hreretici 
dogmatis  criraine  ?  Sed  in  causa  duorum  hominum,  quorum  per 
unum  venundati  sumus  sub  peccato,  per  alteram  redimimur  a  pec- 
catis  ;  per  unum  prcecipitati  sumus  in  mortem,  per  alterum  liberamur 
ad  vitam ;  quoniam  illc  nos  in  so  perdidit  facicndo  voluntatem  suam, 
non  ejus  a  quo  factus  est,  iste  nos  in  se  salvos  fecit  non  facicndo  vo- 
luntatem suam,  sed  ejus  a  quo  missus  est;  in  horum  ergo  duorum 
hominum  causa  proprie  fides  Christiana  consistit.  Unus  est  enim 
Deus,  et  unus  mediator  Dei  et  hominum,  homo  Christus  Jesus:  quo- 
niam non  est  allud  nomen  sub  ccelo  datum  hominibus,  in  quo  oportcat 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE     KINDS    TIILUEOF.  403 

I  have  thus  far  spoken  of  original  sin,  of  the  native  and 
hereditary  corruption  of  our  nature,  which  is  the  first  part  in 
the  definition  of  sin.  Uere  followeth  now  the  latter  part;  to  wit, 
the  very  action  which  ariseth  of  that  corruption,  the  actual 
sin,  I  say,  which  is  so  called  ab  acta,  that  is,  an  act  or  a  deed- 
doing.  For  insomuch  as  that  corruption  which  is  born  to- 
gether with  and  is  hereditary  in  us  doth  not  always  He  hid, 
but  workcth  outwardly  and  shcweth  forth  itself,  and  doth  at 
last  bring  forth  an  imp  of  her  own  kind  and  nature,  whicli 
imp  is  actual  sin  ;  therefore  we  define  actual  sin  to  be  an 
action,  or  work,  or  fruit,  of  our  corrupt  and  naughty  nature, 
expressing  itself  in  thoughts,  Avords,  and  works  against  the 
law  of  God,  and  thereby  deserving  the  wrath  of  God. 
nos  salvos  fieri,  et  in  illo  definivit  Deus  fidcm  omnibus,  suscitans  ilium 
a  mortuis.  Itaque  sine  ista  fide,  hoc  est,  sine  fide  unius  mediatoris 
Doiet  liominum,  hominis  Christi  Josu;  sine  fide,  inquam,  rosurrectionis 
ejus,  quam  Deus  liominibus  definivit,  quaj  utique  sine  incarnatione 
ejus  ac  morto  non  potest  veraciter  credi;  sine  fide  ergo  incarnationis 
et  mortis  et  resurrectionis  Christi,  nee  antiquos  justos,  ut  justi  cssent 
a  peccatis,  potuisso  mundari  et  Dei  gratia  justificari,  Veritas  Christiana 
non  dubitat;  sive  in  eis  justis  quos  sancta  scriptura  commemorat, 
sive  in  eis  justis  quos  quidem  ilia  non  commemorat,  sed  tamen  fuisse 
credendi  sunt  vel  ante  diluvium,  vel  inde  usque  ad  datam  legem,  vel 
ipsius  legis  tempore,  non  solum  in  filiis  Israel,  sicut  fuerunt  propheta?, 
sod  etiam  extra  cundcm  populum,  sicut  fuit  Job.  Et  ipsorum  cnim 
ccrda  eadem  mundabantur  mediatoris  fide,  et  difFundebatur  in  eis 
caritas  per  Spiritum  sanctum,  qui  ubi  vult  spirat,  non  merita  sequens, 
sed  etiam  ipsa  merita  faciens.  Non  enim  Dei  gratia  gratia  erit  ullo 
modo,  nisi  gratuita  fuerit  omni  modo.  Quamvis  ergo  mors  regnaverit 
ab  Adam  usque  ad  Moysen,  quia  non  earn  potuit  vincere  nee  lex  data 
per  Moysen,  non  enim  data  est  quro  posset  vivificarc,  sed  qua?  mortuos, 
quibus  vivificandis  csset  gratia  iicccssaria,  non  solum  poccati  propa- 
gationc  ct  dominationc  prostratos,  verum  etiam  ipsius  legis  additapra:- 
varicatione  convictos,  deberet  ostendere,  non  ut  periret  quisquis  hoc 
in  Dei  misericordia  etiam  tunc  intelligeret,  sed  ut  per  regnum  mortis 
ad  supplicium  destinatus  etiam  sibi  ipsi  per  prrcvaricationcm  legis 
manifostatus  Dei  qurcreret  adjutorium,  ut  ubi  abundavit  peccatum  su- 
perabundaret  gratia,  qua;  sola  liberat  a  corpore  mortis  hujus.  Quamvis 
ergo  ncc  lex  per  Moysen  data  potuerit  a  quoquam  homino  regnum 
mortis  aufcrre,  erant  tamen  ct  legis  tempore  liomines  Dei,  non  sub 
lege  terrentc,  convincente,  puniente,  sod  sub  gratia  delectanto,  sanante, 
liborante  :  crant  qui  dicerent,  Kgo  in  iidquitatibus  conceptus  sum,  et 
in  peccatis  mater  niea  in  utoro  me  aluit. — August.  Oi)p.  Tar.  1531. 
Tom.  VII.  fol.  1G4.  C(d.  2.  3.  de  Peoc.  Orig.  contra  Pelag.  ct  Celost. 
Lib.  II.  <-ai.p.  23,  24,  2.".] 

26—2 


404  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 


very  corruption  of  mankind,  which  sheweth  forth  itself  through 
concupiscence  and  evil  affections  :  affections  entice  the  will;  and 
will,  being  helped  with  the  other  faculties  in  man  that  work 
together  with  it,  doth  finish  actual  sin.  And  that  ye  may 
more  clearly  perceive  that  which  I  say,  I  wish  you  to  note, 
that  our  mind  hath  two  parts :  the  understanding,  or  reason, 
or  judgment ;  and  the  will  or  appetite.  In  the  reason  are 
the  laws  of  nature,  whereunto  must  be  added  the  preaching, 
or  reading,  or  knowledge  of  God's  word.  And  now,  as  of 
good  works  in  man  there  are  two  especial  causes,  to  wit, 
sound  judgment  well  framed  by  the  word  of  God,  and  a  will 
consenting  and  obeying  thereunto,  (and  yet  notwithstanding 
there  is  principally  to  be  required  the  coming  to  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  from  heaven  \  to  illuminate  the  mind  and  move 
forward  the  will ;)  even  so  we  may  most  properly  say  that 
actual  sin  is  finished,  when  any  thing  is  of  set  purpose,  with 
advised  judgment  and  the  consent  of  our  will,  committed 
against  the  law  of  God.  And  yet  to  these  there  do  many 
times  happen  other  outward  causes  both  visible  and  invisible  ; 
for  evil  spirits  move  men,  and  evil  men^  move  men,  and  other 
infinite  examples  of  corruption  that  are  in  the  world.  Hope,  fear, 
and  weakness,  do  also  move  men.  Augustine,  Qucest.  in  Exodum 
xxix.  saith:  "The  beginning  of  vice  is  in  the  will  of  man  :  but 
the  hearts  of  men  are  moved  by  sundry  accidental  causes,  now 
this,  now  that ;  sometimes  the  causes  are  all  one  ;  the  difference 
is  in  the  manner  and  order,  according  to  every  one's  proper 
qualities,  which  do  arise  of  every  several  wilP."  Again  in 
the  seventy-ninth  psalm  he  saith :  "Two  things  there  are  that 
work  all  sins  in  mortal  men,  desire  and  fear.  Consider,  ex- 
amine, and  ask  your  hearts,  search  your  consciences,  and  see, 
^  if  any  sins  can  be  but  by  desiring,  or  else  by  fearing.  Thou 
art  promised,  if  thou  wilt  sin,  to  have  such  a  reward  given 
thee  as  thou  dost  delight  in ;  and  for  desire  of  the  gift  thou 
crackest  thy  conscience,  and  dost  commit  sin.     And  again  on 

\}  extrinsccus  aut  ccelitus  accedcns,  Lat.] 

[2  homines,  Lat. ;  not  evil  men.] 

p  In  voluntate  qnippc  hominis  est  origo  vitiorum  ;  movcntur  au- 
tem  causis  corda  honiinum,  alia  sic,  alia  voro  sic ;  ctiam  non  diversis 
causis,  s;cpo  diverse  modo  secundum  proprias  qualitatcs  quaj  ex  vo- 
liintatibus  veniunt. — Auf^ust.  0pp.  Tom.  iv.  fol.  29.  col.  2.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    TIIEKliOF.  405 

tlie  other  side,  thougli  pcradventure  tliou  wilt  not  be  seduced 
with  gifts,  vet  being  terrified  with  threatenings  thou  dost,  for 
dread  of  tliat  which  thou  fearest,  commit  the  inicjuity  that 
otlierwise  thou  wouklcst  not.  As  for  example,  some  one  man 
or  otlier  would  with  gifts  corrupt  thee  to  bear  false  witness. 
Thou  presently  hast  turned  thyself  to  God,  and  hast  said  in 
thy  heart,  'What  doth  it  advantage  a  man,  if  he  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his  own  soul  ?'  I  will  not 
be  hired  with  gifts  to  lose  my  soul  for  the  gain  of  money. 
Thereupon  he,  which  before  enticed  thee,  doth  now  turn  him- 
self to  terrify  thee ;  and  for  because  his  gifts  did  fail  to  hire 
thee,  he  beginneth  to  threaten  unto  thee  damage,  banishment, 
wounds,  and  death.  In  such  a  case  now  if  greediness  could 
not,  yet  fear  perhaps  might  cause  thee  to  sin*."  The  same 
Augustine  again,  in  his  book  De  Sermone  Domini  in  Monte, 
saith  :  "  Three  things  there  be  by  which  sin  is  accomplished, 
suggestion,  delectation,  and  consent.  Suggestion,  whether  it 
be  wrought  by  the  memory,  or  senses  of  the  body  ;  as  when 
we  see,  hear,  smell,  taste,  or  touch  any  thing.  Now  if  we  bo 
delighted  to  have  it,  that  unlawful  delight  must  be  restrained : 
as  for  example,  when  we  fast,  if  at  the  sight  of  meat  our 
appetite  do  arise,  it  is  not  done  without  delectation :  but  wo 
must  not  give  our  consent  to  that  delectation,  but  suppress  it 
with  the  power  of  reason  ;  for  if  the  consent  be  given,  then  is 
the  sin  accomplished.  These  three  things  are  correspondent 
to  the  circumstances  of  the  history  that  is  written  in  Genesis : 
so  that  of  the  serpent  was  made  that  suggestion ;  in  the 
carnal  appetite,  as  in  Eva,  was  the  delectation ;  and  in  reason, 
as  in  Adam,  did  the  full  consent  appear :  which  being  finished, 

[■*  Omnia  pcccata  dure  res  faciunt  in  liomino,  cupiditas  et  tinior. 
Cogitate,  discutite,  interrogate  corda  vGstra,  porscrutamini  conscientias  ; 
videte  utrutn  possint  esse  pcccata,  nisi  aut  capiendo  aut  timcndo. 
Proponitur  tih)i  prccmium,  ut  pecces ;  id  est,  quod  to  dolcctct :  facis 
propter  quod  cupis.  Scd  forte  non  induceris  doiiis,  terrcris  minis  : 
facis  propter  quod  times.  Corrumpere  to  vult  aliijuis  ut  dicas,  verbi 
gratia,  falsum  testimonium.  .  .  Attendisti  tu  Deuin,  et  di.\isti  in  aniino 
tuo.  Quill  i)rodest  liomini,  si  totum  mundum  lucrctur,  aiiima;  autem 
Eua;  detrimentumpatiatur?  Xon  adducor  pra-mio  ut  perdam  animam 
meam  pro  lucro  pecunia;.  Convertit  illc  sc  ad  incutiendum  metum, 
qui  praimio  corrumpere  non  valuit;  incii»it  minari  damnum,  et  expul- 
sionem,  cajdes,  fortassis  mortem.  Ibi  jam  si  cupiditas  non  valuit, 
forte  timor  valebit  ut  pecces. — Id.  Tom.  viii.  fol.  185.  col.  4. J 


406  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

man  is  expelled  as  it  were  out  of  paradise,  that  is,  out  of  the 
blessed  light   of  righteousness  into   death  and  damnation  ^" 
Thus  much  saith  Augustine  touching  the  cause  of  sin. 
sinisrepug.  But  horo  WO  must   especially  note  in   the  definition  of 

la'wofGod.  actual  siu  the  very  property  or  difference,  whereby  this 
action  is  discerned  from  all  other  actions,  and  whereby  the 
most  proper  note  of  sin  is  made  manifest.  This  action  there- 
fore, even  as  all  sins  else  do,  doth  directly  tend  against  God's 
law.  But  what  the  law  of  God  is,  I  have  in  my  former 
sermons  at  large  declared.  Verily,  it  is  none  other  but  the 
very  will  of  God.  Now  the  will  of  God  is,  that  man  should 
be  like  unto  his^  image,  that  is,  that  he  should  be  holy,  inno- 
cent, and  so  consequently  saved. 

This  will  of  his  did  God  express,  first  by  the  law  of 
nature,  then  by  the  law  which  he  writ  in  two  tables  of  stone, 
and  lastly  by  the  preaching  of  the  holy  gospel.  Now  those 
three  tend  all  to  one  end,  to  wit,  that  man  should  be  holy, 
innocent,  and  so  consequently  saved.  And  whatsoever  things 
are  done  of  men,  either  in  thought,  word,  or  deed,  against  that 
holy  law  of  God,  they  both  are,  and  are  called,  actual  sins. 
Therefore  in  the  judging  or  esteeming  of  men's  sins,  the  law 
of  God  must  be  only  looked  unto ;  for  the  things  that  are 
not  contrary  to  God's  law  are  not  sins :  neither  hath  any 
man  authority  to  make  new^'  laws,  for  the  transgressing 
.  whereof  men  should  be  counted  sinners.  That  glory  belong- 
[Psai. ii.4.]  eth  to  God  alone,  to  whom  David  crieth:  "To  thee  alone 
have  I  sinned,  and  against  thee  have  I  wrought  wickedness." 
Neither  is  it  any  part  of  our  office  to  take  upon  us  by  our  own 

[1  Nam  tria  sunt  quibus  impletur  peccatum ;  suggestione,  delec- 
tatione,  et  consensione.  Suggestio,  sive  per  memoriam  fit,  sivo  per 
corporis  sensus,  cum  aliquid  videmus  aut  audimus,  vel  olfacimus,  vel 
wustamus,  vel  tangimus.  Quo  si  fiui  delcctaverit,  delectatio  illicita 
refrccnaiida  est :  velut  cum  jejuiiamus,  et,  visis  cibis,  palati  appetitus 
assurgit,  non  fit  nisi  delcctatione ;  sed  huic  tamen  non  conscntimus, 
si  earn  dominantis  rationis  jure  cohibemus.  Si  autcm  consensio  facta 
fuerit,  plenum  peccatum  erit...Tria  ergo  htec,  ut  dicere  coepcram, 
Bimilia  sunt  illi  gestae  rei,  qua;  in  Genesi  scripta  est,  ut  quasi  a  serpente 
fiat  suggestio  et  qusedam  suasio;  in  appetitu  autera  carnali,  tanquam 
in  Eva,  delectatio ;  in  ratione  vero,  tanquam  in  viro,  consensio :  quibus 
peractis,  tanquam  de  paradiso,  hoc  est,  de  beatissima  luce  justiticc  in 
mortem  homo  cxpellitur. — Id.  Tom.  iv.  fol.  248.  col.  3,  4.] 

[2  id  est  divina;,  Lat.  omitted ;  that  is,  to  the  divine.] 

[3  new,  not  in  Lat.] 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  407 

judgments  to  determine  which  be  the  smallest  and  which  the 
greatest  sins.  For  which  of  us  would  think,  that  it  were  sin 
to  say  to  his  brother,  "Thou  fool?"  And  yet  the  Lord  in  the 
gospel  pronounccth  it  to  be  sin :  who  in  the  same  gospel  also 
affirmeth,  that  we  "shall  give  account  for  every  idle  word  atC^'""  ^"^ 

.  ~  .  "  and  xli.  36. ) 

the  latter  day  of  judgment."  Very  rightly  therefore  saith 
St  Augustine  in  his  second  book  De  Bapt.  contra  Donatistas, 
capit,  6 :  "In  esteeming  of  sins  let  us  not  bring  in  deceit- 
ful balances,  wherein  to  weigh  both  what  we  list  and  as  we  list, 
after  our  own  mind  and  phantasy,  saying,  This  is  heavy,  and 
that  is  light :  but  let  us  bring  in  the  weights  of  God's  holy 
scriptures,  as  out  of  the  secret  treasuries  of  the  Lord,  and 
thereby  let  us  weigh  what  is  heavy,  and  what  is  liglit ;  nay 
rather,  let  not  us  weigh  them,  but  acknowledge  and  so  accept 
them  as  they  are  weighed  by  the  Lord\" 

And  although  this  might  seem  to   be  sufficient,  as  that  The  kind* 

,  and  sorti  of 

which  hath  sufficiently  declared  the  nature  of  actual  sin  ;  yet  *'"*• 
will  we  more  at  large  consider  the  sundry  sorts  or  kinds  and 
ditferences  of  sins.     The  Stoics  were  of  opinion  that  all  sins 
were  equal :   whom  perhaps  Jovinian  following  (as  the  patri- 
archs of  heresies  are  by  Tertullian  said  to  be  philosophers"')  is 
written  to   have  affirmed   the   very   same   with  them,  as  is 
extant  in  St  Augustine's   catalogue  of  heretics''.      The  holy  Thai aii  sms 
scripture  teacheth  us  that  God  is  just:  whereupon  we  do  ^on- "^"°' *''"*■ 
elude,  that  all  sins  therefore  are  not  equal ;  for  we  sec  that 
God,   as  he  is  a  just  judge,   doth  punish   some   sins  more 
sharply  than  other  some.      For  in  his  gospel  the  Lord  saith : 

[}  Non  afFeraiuus  statcras  dolosas,  ubi  appendaiuus  quod  volumus 
et  quomodo  volumus,  pro  arbitrio  nostro  dicentes,  Hoc  grave,  hoc  Icve 
est :  scd  affcramus  stateram  divinam  de  sciipturis  Sanctis,  tanquaiii  do 
thesauris  Dominicis,  et  in  ilia  quid  sit  gravius  appendaiuus;  imo 
non  appendamus,  sed  a  Domino  appensa  rccognoscamus — August. 
0pp.  Tom.  vn.  fol.  80.  col.  3.  Par.  1531.] 

[5  Sane  et  sibi  prsestitit  aliquid  Materia,  ut  et  ipsa  cum  Deo  possit 
agnosci,  cojcqualis  Deo,  imo  et  adjutri.\  :  nisi  quod  solus  cam  Iler- 
niogenes  cognovit,  et  hajreticoruin  patriarcha;  pbilosoplii. — Tertull. 
adv.  Ilcrmog.  cap.  8.  Tom.  n.  p.  G8.  ed.  Semlor.  Hal.  Mag.  1828.  Also 
de  Anim.  cap.  3.  Tom.  iv.  p.  185.] 

[G  A  Joviniano  (juodam  monacho  ista  ha^resis  orta  est  a;tato  nostra, 
cum  adhuc  juvencs  esscnius.  Hie  omnia  peccata,  sicut  Stoici  philo- 
sophi,  paria  esse  diccbat,  &c. — Aug.  de  Ha;res.  No.  82.  Tom.  vr.  fol.  7. 
col.  1.1 


408  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

[Matt,  xxiii.  "  Woe  to  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  which 
devour  widows'  houses  under  the  pretence  of  long  prayer  ; 
therefore   shall  you  receive    the  greater  damnation."     And 

[Matt.  X.  15.]  again ;  "  It  shall  be  easier,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  for  the  land  of 
Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  the  city"  that  reject- 
eth  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Likewise  in  the  eleventh  of 
Matthew  he  saith :  "  It  shall  be  easier  for  Tyre  and  Sidon 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  you."      To  Pilate  also  he 

[John  xix.     said :  "  The  man  that  delivered  me  to  thee  hath  the  more 

[Lukexii.  sin."  Again  :  "  The  servant  that  knew  his  master's  will,  and 
prepared  not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall 
be  beaten  with  many  stripes.  But  he  that  knew  not,  and  did 
commit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes." 

Sins  increase  To  proceod  uow,  sins  do  arise  by  steps,  and  increase  by 
'  circumstances.     For  first,  there  is  a  hidden  sin,  contained  in 

the  very  affection  or  desire  of  man.  But  I  have  already  told 
you,  that  affections  and  desires  are  of  two  sorts ;  to  wit, 
natural  affections,  which  are  not  repugnant  to  the  law  of  God ; 
of  which  sort  are  the  love  of  children,  parents,  and  wife,  and 
the  desire  of  meat,  drink,  and  sleep :  although  I  know  and 
do  not  deny  but  that  sometimes  those  affections  are  defiled 
with  the  original  spot.  Again,  there  are  carnal  desires  or 
affections  in  men,  directly  contrary  to  the  will  of  God.  Those 
affections  are  nourished  and  do  increase  by  vain  thoughts  and 
carnal  delights  increasing  in  thy  bosom ;  and  at  last  they 
break  out  into  the  sin  of  the  mouth,  yea,  after  that,  to  the 
deed-doing,  or  actual  sin  itself.  As  for  example  :  Thou  lustest 
after  another  man's  wife,  and  settlest  the  lust  in  the  bottom  of 
thy  heart,  still  delighting  thyself  with  vain  cogitations,  while 
thou  callcst  to  mind  her  passing  beauty  and  lineaments  of 
body,  and  dost  by  thy  often  and  vehement  imagination  both 
dehght  and  set  thyself  on  fire  ;  and  not  being  content  here- 
withal  alone,  thou  ceasest  not  to  lie  at^  her,  whom  thou  lovest, 
with  words  and  writings  to  spot  her  chastity  ;  and,  if  occasion 
serve  thee,  thou  dost  by  thy  deed-doing  defile  her,  and  also 
dost  reiterate  the  sin  which  thou  hast  once  committed ;  and 
lastly,  laying  aside  the  fear  of  God's  plague  and  the  shame 
of  the  world,  thou  dost  daily  frequent  it,  and  openly  use  it. 
Secst  thou  here,  by  this  example,  how  one  and  the  same  sin 
[1  solicitas,  Lat.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  409 

dotli  increase  by  degrees,  and  doth  still  require  a  sharper  punish- 
ment, according  to  the  greatness  and  enormity  of  the  crime  ? 
Verily,  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  after  St  Matthew  contirmeth  this, 
and  saith :  "  Ye  have  heard  how  it  was  said  to  them  of  old,  [««».  v.  21, 
Thou  shalt  not  kill :  Whosoever  killeth  shall  be  in  danger  of 
judgment.  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whoso  is  angry  with 
his  brother  unadvisedly-  shall  be  in  danger  of  judgment:  and 
whosoever  shall  say  unto  his  brother,  Haclia,  shall  be  in 
danger  of  a  council :  but  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou  fool, 
shall  be  in  danger  of  hell-tire."  In  these  words  of  the  Lord's 
thou  hearest  first  the  differences  of  sins,  as  anger,  the  tokens  of 
angry  minds,  and  open  scoldings,  which  do  for  the  most  part 
end  in  open  fightings ;  and  then  thou  hearest  that,  as  the 
sin  increaseth,  so  the  greatness  and  sharpness  of  the  punish- 
ment is  still  augmented.  It  was  therefore  no  unapt  or  silly  dis- 
tinction that  they  made  in  actual  sin  which  said,  that  there  is 
one  sin  of  the  thought,  another  of  the  mouth,  and  another  of 
the  deed ;  which  they  did  again  divide  into  certain  kinds  and 
sorts :  reducing  them  again  partly  into  Scelera,  and  partly  sroicra  and 
mto  Delicta. 

S cetera  are   those  heinous   crimes  which  arc  conceived 
and  committed  of  set  purpose  and  pretended  malice  :  of  which 
sort  are  those  especially  which  are  called  the  crying  sins,  as  rcccata 
murder,    usury,    oppression    of   the    fatherless   and    widows,    *""''"  "*' 
sodomy,  and  the  withheld  hire  of  the  needy  labourer.     For 
touching  murder,   the  voice  of  the  Lord  in  Genesis  saith : 
"  The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  mo."      And  in  [Ccn.  iv.  lo.] 
the  twenty-second  of  Exodus  he  saith  :  "  If  ye  vex  the  father- 
less and  widows,  and  they  cry  to  me,  I  will  hear  them  and 
slay  you."     The  word  of  God  doth  with  bitter  quips   bate 
usury   and  utterly   condemn  it.      The  sin   of  the   Sodomites 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  requiring  vengeance  to  hght  upon  the 
villanous  beasts^.      And    James  the  apostle  saith:    "  Behold,  fJ^"!*^^ *•■♦•] 
the  hire  of  the  labourers  which  have  reaped  down  your  fields, 
which  hire  of  you  is  kept  back  by  fraud,  crieth ;  and  the  cries 
of  them  which  have  reaped  are  entered  into  the  ears  of  tho 
Lord  of  sabaoth."      To  these  sins  other  men  do  also  annex  thc  «vcn 

,  ....  .  ,  .  ,  I-rincipal 

those  seven  prmcipal  vices,  pride  or  vain-glory,  anger,  envy,  ^,',^,",\.'^,„, 
sloth,  covetousness,  gluttony,  and  lechery.      Yea,  they  make  ,',c^||y^i"n*. 
these  the  seeds  and  first  beginnings  of  all  sins  and  wickedness, 
[2  unadvisedly,  not  in  Lat.j  [3  to  light — beasts,  not  in  Lat.] 


410 


THE    THIRD    DECADE. 


[SERM. 


Feccatum 

alienum,  ,  .      ,       n  •  ^■, 

another's  sin,  kjnd  01  idiG  sluEsishness 

IS  when 

another  is        hprPfl    tVlP 

made  to  sin      "^^^^    ''"^ 


hereafter 
perceive. 

The  sin  of 
ignorance. 


and  therefore  do  they  call  them  the  principal  sins ;  as  is  to 
be  seen  in  the  Sentences  of  Peter  Lombard '. 

Moreover  they  call  those  sins  delicta,  which  are  com- 
mitted of  infirmity  or  unwittingly ;  to  wit,  when  the  good  is 
forsaken,  and  duty  to  God  or  man  neglected,  by  a  certain 
where  peradventure  are  to  be  num- 
sin  of  ignorance,  the  sin  called  alienum,  and  the 
al°"sh^fr"^'  sin  of  unwillingness :  although  even  they  also  are  oftentimes 
made  both  heinous  crimes  and  detestable  offences. 

Ignorance  is  said  to  be  of  two  sorts :  the  one  is  natural 
and  very  ignorance,  which  springeth  of  original  sin  ;  the  other 
is  affected  or  counterfeit,  which  riseth  of  a  set  purpose  and 
pretended  malice.  The  natural  ignorance  is  a  disease,  a  fault, 
and  a  sin;  because  it  springeth  of  a  poisoned  original,  and  is  a 
work  of  darkness,  as  it  appeared  above  by  the  testimony  of 
the  apostle  St  Paul^.  Verily  St  Augustine  in  his  third  book 
De Libera  Arhitrio,  cap.  19,  saith:  "That  which  every  one  by 
ignorance  doth  not  rightly,  and  that  which  he  cannot  do 
though  he  willeth  rightly,  are  therefore  called  sins,  because 
they  have  their  beginning  of  the  sin  of  free-will.  For  that 
precedent  did  deserve  to  have  such  consequents.  For  as  we 
give  the  name  of  tongue,  not  to  that  member  only  which 
moveth  in  the  mouth  while  we  speak ;  but  even  to  that  also 
which  followeth  upon  the  moving  of  that  member,  to  wit,  the 
form  and  tenour  of  words  which  the  tongue  doth  utter ;  ac- 
cording to  which  phrase  of  speech  we  say,  that  in  one  man 
there  are  divers  tongues,  meaning  the  Greek  and  the  Latin 
tongues ;  even  so  we  do  not  only  call  that  sin  which  is  pro- 
perly called  sin  (for  it  is  committed  of  a  free  will  wittingly), 
but  that  also  which  followeth  upon  the  punishment  of  the 
same^ ;"   of  which  I  have  said  somewhat  before. 


\}  Pra3tcrea  sciendum  estseptem  esse  vitiacapitaliavel  principalia, 
ut  Greg,  super  Exod.  ait :  scilicet,  Inanem  gloriani,  Irani,  Invidiam, 
Acidiam  vel  Tristitiam,  Avaritiam,  Gastrimargiam,  Luxuriam. — Lom- 
bard, lib.  Sent.  Lib.  li.  distinct.  42.  fol.  221.  Par.  1575.] 

[2  See  page  394.] 

[3  Nam  illud  quod  ignorans  quisque  non  recte  fiicit,  et  quod  i-ecte 
volens  facere  non  potest,  ideo  dicuntur  peccata,  quia  de  peccato  illo 
liberce  voluntatis  origincm  ducunt.  Illud  cnim  prajccdens  meruit  ista 
sequentia.  Nam  sicut  linguam  dicimus  non  solum  mcmbrum,  (juod 
niovemus  in  ore  duin  loquimur,  sed  etiam  illud  quod  hujus  membri 
motum  conscquitur,  id  est,  formam  tenoremquo  verborum,  secundum 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    TIIEKEOF.  411 

Other  do  cloak  their  ignorance  with  that  saying  of  tlie 
Lord  in  the  gospel :  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  [John 
them,  they  had  wherewithal  to  cloak  their  sin,"  or  they  should 
have  had  no  sin.  For  hereupon  they  infer :  Therefore  tliey 
to  whom  nothing  hath  been  preached  are  free  from  blame  and 
accusation  of  sin.  But  the  Lord  said  not  so.  For  first,  ho 
spake  of  their  pretended  colour*,  and  not  of  their  innocency ; 
and  every  pretence  is  not  just  and  lawful.  He  said,  I  con- 
fess, "they  should  have  had  no  sin:"  but  he  addeth  pre- 
sently, "  Xow  have  they  nothing  to  cloak  their  sin  witlial." 
Secondarily,  he  doth  not  universally  acquit  the  ignorant  from 
all  kind  of  sin,  but  from  the  sin  of  rebellion  only :  for 
St  Augustine  upon  John  saith  :  "  They  have  an  excuse  not  for 
every  sin ;  but  for  this  only,  that  they  believed  not  in  Christ, 
because  he  came  not  unto  them.  For  all,  which  neither  have 
heard  nor  do  hear,  may  have  this  excuse,  but  they  cannot 
escape  condemnation.  For  they  that  have  sinned  without 
law,  shall  perish  without  law^"  And  Paul  also,  in  the  first  to 
Timothy,  the  first  chapter,  saith :  "  I  thank  him  because  he 
hath  counted  mc  faithful,  putting  me  into  the  ministery  ;  who 
was  before  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and  an  oppressor : 
but  yet  I  obtained  mercy,  because  I  did  it  ignorantly,  in  un- 
belief." Lo,  here  the  apostle  saith  that  he  obtained  mercy 
because  he  sinned  through  ignorance :  this  ignorance  he  de- 
riveth  of  unbelief,  and  attributcth  to  it  most  filthy  fruits. 

Furthermore  we  call  that  false  and  counterfeit  ignorance, 
which  is  of  very  maUcc  feigned  by  obstinate  and  stubborn 

quern  moJum  dicltur  alia  lingua  Grajca,  alia  Latina;  sic  non  solum 
pcccatum  illud  dicimus,  quod  propric  vocatur  peccatuin,  libera  eniin 
voluntate  et  ab  scicrito  committitur ;  sed  ctiam  illud  quod  jam  do 
liujus  supplicio  consequatur  ueccsso  est. — August.  0pp.  Tom.  i.  fol. 
145.  col.  3.  Par.  1531.] 

[•»  pra3te.\tu,  Lat.] 

[5  Domino  donante  rcspondoo,  Habere  illos  cxcusationcm,  non  do 
oinni  peccato  suo,  sed  de  hoc  pcccato,  quo  in  Christum  non  credido- 
runt,  ad  quos  non  venit,  etquibus  non  est  locutus  .  .  .  Restat  inquirero, 
utrum  hi  qui  priusfjuam  Chri.stus  venirct  in  ccclesiam  ad  gentcs,  ot 
j)riusquain  cvaiigeliuni  ejus  audirout,  vita;  hujus  fiiio  prrcventi  sunt 
seu  prteveniuiitur,  jjossunt  habere  banc  cxcusationcm?  Possunt  piano, 
sed  non  ideo  possunt  cflugere  daninationem.  Quicunque  enim  sine 
lege  peccavcrunt,  sine  lc_'0  pcribunt. — Id.  E.xpos.  in  Evang.  Joan. 
Tract.  Lxxxi.x.  Tuui.  ix.  fol.  94.  col.  3,  4.] 


412  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

people:  as  if  tliou,  when  a  thing  displeaseth  thee^  shouldest 
say,  that  thou  dost  not  understand  it;  or  if,  when  thou  may  est, 
thou  wilt  not  understand  it.  Such  is  the  ignorance  that  was 
in  the  Jews,  the  professed  enemies  of  God's  grace  in  Christ^. 

[Rom. X. 2,  For  Paul  saith  :  "I  bear  them  witness  that  they  have  a  zeal 
of  God,  but  not  according  to  knowledge.  For  being  ignorant 
of  God's  righteousness,  and  seeking  to  set  up  their  own,  they 
were  not  subject  to  the  righteousness  of  God."  For  the  Lord 
in  the  gospel  said  to  the  Pharisees,  when  they  demanded  if 

[John  ix.  40,  they  were  bhnded  also ;  "  If  ye  were  blind,  ye  should  have 
no  sin:  but  now  ye  say.  We  see;  therefore  your  sin  abideth." 

rccrata  The  sins  called  aliena  are  not  those  which  we   ourselves 

others' sins,  commit,  but  those  which  other  men  do,  yet  not  without  us ;  to 
wit,  while  we  allow,  help  forward,  persuade,  command,  wink 
at,  give  occasion,  or  do  not  resist  or  gainsay  them,  when  we 

[1  Tim.  V.  may.  The  apostle  Paul  forbiddeth  Timothy  to  lay  hands  on 
any  man  hastily,  nor  to  communicate  with  other  men's  sins. 
Therefore  to  give  an  unfit  man  orders,  and  to  place  him  in 
the  ecclesiastical  ministery,  is  that  kind  of  sin  which  we  do 
call  another's  sin  :  for  to  thee  is  worthily  imputed  what  un- 
seemliness soever  is  committed  against  God  and  his  church  by 
the  ignorance  of  the  man  whom  thou  hast  so  ordained.    They 

Both  these     sin  another's  sin,  which  offer  violence,  and  do  by  torments  and 

sins  are  .  i  i  i 

Referred  to  threatoumgs  compel  men  to  deny  the  truth,  or  to  commit 
in'rel'pecr  ^^me  hoinous  offence.  For  the  denial  of  the  truth  is  peccatum 
compeue^d"  alienum,  another's  sin,  to  him  which  compelleth  the  denier  to 
respect  oVthe  reuounco  it ;  and  therewithal  to  the  same  man  his  own  sin,  in 
hhSf.^"^      respect  of  himself,  is  impiety,  tyranny,  sacrilege,  and  murder, 

for  causing  the  other  to  renounce  the  truth. 

Where,  by  the  way,  we  are  well  admonished,  that  of  sins 

some  are  wilful,  and  some  unwilful  or  enforced. 
Peccatum  They  call  that  the  unwilful  sin,  which  is  committed  either 

voliintarium  ,  ,,        . 

by  another  man  s  eniorcmg,  or  else  by  our  own  ignorance. 
Therefore  that  which  is  done  neither  by  compulsion,  nor  by 
ignorance,  is  concluded  to  be  the  voluntary  or  wilful  sin. 

Again,  of  enforced  sin  they  make  two  sorts ;  whereof  they 
call  one  absolute,  the  other  conditional.  Now  they  think 
that  the  absolute  violent  sin  is,  when  it  lieth  not  in  us  either 
to  do  or  not  to  do,  but  when  it  cometh  from  some  other  man, 

\}  thee,  not  in  Lat.]  [2  iu  Christ,  not  in  Lat.] 


el  involitn 
tarium. 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  413 

without  the  consent  of  him  to  whom  the  violence  is  offered : 
even  as  if  the  wind  should  drive  us  to  any  place  unlooked  for  ; 
or  if  the  king's  officers  do  perforce  compel  thy  hands  to  offer 
incense  to  idols,  while  thou  to  thy  power  resistcst,  and  dost 
deny  it  so  far  as  thou  canst.  In  such  a  case  they  acquit  the 
man,  so  compelled, from  all  blame,  punishment,  and  reproach'. 
Now  touching  the  second  kind  of  violent  sin,  which  they 
call  conditional,  they  think  that  it  riseth  upon  sundry  causes. 
But  that  we  may  not  stick  too  long  upon  this  point,  we  do 
simply  say  :  the  unwilful  or  violent  sin  either  hath,  or  hath  not, 
the  consent  of  him  which  is  compelled.  If  he  give  his  consent, 
as  for  example,  either  to  the  renouncing  of  the  evangelical  truth 
which  he  hath  hitherto  professed,  or  to  the  committing  of  other 
grievous  and  horrible  crimes,  then  is  not  the  man  compelled 
void  of  blame.  For  neither  can  the  fear  of  death,  nor  sce  Augus- 
torments,  be  an  excuse  for  him.    Choose  death  rather  than  to  Mendacioad 

Conseniium, 

deny  the  truth,  to  commit  any  heinous  crime,  or  to  be  com- ^j; '•"""* '"• 
polled  to  consent  to  a  wicked  and  horrible  sin*.  If  thou  shalt 
rather  choose  to  die  than  to  do  a  filthy  deed,  the  tyrant  shall 
not  enforce  or  compel  thee  against  thy  will.  He  may  indeed 
kill  thee :  but  to  compel  thee  to  do  evil  against  thy  will  he  is 
not  able ;  for  by  dying  thou  confessest  the  truth,  and  by 
dying  thou  declarest  that  thou  wilt  not  do  that  which,  while 
thou  livest,  they  do  exact  of  thee.  And  by  that  means  they 
neither  overcome  nor  compel  thee ;  but  are  themselves  over- 
come and  compelled  to  see  and  have  trial  of  that  which 
grieveth  them  full  sore.  Antiochus  Epiphancs  did  what  he 
might  to  have  polluted  the  holy  bodies  of  the  Maccabees  with 
the  use  of  unclean  and  forbidden  meat :  but  they,  choosing 
rather  to  die  than  by  living  to  be  defiled,  did  by  dying  over-  [^Macvu.] 
come  the  tyrant,  and  could  not  be  compelled.  And  verily  it 
is  a  thing  received  and  approved  among  all  professors  of  sound 
religion,  that  death  and  all  extremities  whatsoever  must  sooner 
be  tasted  than  any  thing  committed  which  is  by  nature  filthy 
and  repugnant  to  religion. 

To  proceed  now  ;  if  consent  be  not  given,  but  mere  and 
unavoidable  violence  is  offered  to  a  godly  man,  (for  here  we 
make    a  difference  betwixt  him   that  upon   compulsion   doth 

P  laude  ct  vitupcrationo,  Lat.  ;  j)iaisc  and  blanio.] 
[*  Aug.    dc  Mend,   ad  Consciitiuni,  !i.  ami   10.     Tom.   iv.   fol.  3. 
col.  4.  and  fol.  4.  col.  1,  2.] 


414  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERiM. 

yield  to  do  wickedness,  and  him  which  by  compulsion  cannot 
be  brought  unto  it^ ;)  that  violence  spotteth  not  his  uncorrupt 
and  holy  mind.  As  for  example ;  if  a  godly  man,  having  his 
feet  bound  and  arms  fast  pinioned,  be  perforce  brought  into 
an  idol  temple,  and  there  compelled  to  be  present  at  their  de- 
testable sacrifice  ;  or  if  an  unspotted  virgin  or  honest  matron 
be  in  the  wars  or  barbarous  broils  villanously  abused,  without 
their  consent  to  the  deed-doing,  and  cannot  have  leave  rather 
to  die  untouched  than  so  to  be  undecently  handled,  she  is, 
assure  yourselves,  unspotted  before  the  face  of  God.  For  very 
wisely  said  St  Augustine :  "  Not  to  suffer  unjustly,  but  to  do 
-  unjustly,  is  sin  before  GodV  Lib.  de  Libero  Arbitrio,  in. 
cap.  16.  Again,  De  Mendacio  ad  Consentium,  cap.  7,  he 
saith  :  "  That  which  the  body,  where  lust  went  not  before, 
doth  violently  suffer  ought  rather  to  be  called  vexation  than 
corruption.  Or  if  all  vexation  be  corruption,  yet  all  corrup- 
tion is  not  filthy ;  but  that  corruption  only  which  lust  hath 
procured,  or  whereunto  lust  hath  consented^."  Again,  in  his  first 
book  De  Civitate  Dei,  capit.  18,  he  saith  :  "Where  the  purpose 
of  the  mind  remaineth  constant,  by  which  the  body  is  sanc- 
tified, there  the  offered  violence  of  another's  lust  taketh  not 
from  the  body  the  purposed  holiness,  which  the  constant  perse- 
verance of  the  party's  own  chastity  doth  still  retain*."  Much 
more  like  to  this  hath  he  in  the  same  place,  and  also  in  the 
sixteenth,  nineteenth,  and  twenty-eighth  chapters  of  the  same 
book,  &c, 
Madmen-s    -,       go  also  we  must  think  the  best  of  the  unwilful  death  of 

death  is  un- 

therefo?"?o    "^^"^  bosido  their  wits,  that  in  their  madness  kill  themselves. 

t'otCbe™!''  Fo^  otherwise  it  cannot  be  found  in  the  canonical  books  of 

No  man       holv  scripturo,  that  God  did  either  give  leave  or  command- 
must  hasten  ,  1  .,,  1  ,11 
de'at'h''"        ment  to  us  mortal  men  to  kill  ourselves,  thereby  the  sooner 

[1  discernimus  hie  inter  cum  qui  coactus  malum  facit,  et  qui 
patitur,  Lat.] 

[2  Non  onim  injusto  aliquid  pati,  sed  injusto  aliquid  facere,  pecca- 
tum  est.— August.  0pp.  Tom.  i.  fol.  144.  col.  4.  Par.  1531.] 

[3  Quod  enim  violcnter  non  prsccedente  libidine  patitur  corpus, 
vcxatio  potius  quam  corruptio  nominanda  est.  Aut  si  omnis  vexatio 
corruptio  est,  non  omnis  corruptio  turpis  est,  sed  quam  libido  procu- 
raverit,  aut  cui  libido  conscnscrit. — Id.  Tom.  iv.  fol.  3.  col.  3.] 

[•«  Proposito  animi  permancnto,  per  quod  etiam  corpus  sanctificari 
meruit,  nee  ipsi  corpori  aufort  sanctitatem  violentia  libidinis  alienre, 
quam  servat  perscverantia  contincntifc  suoc. — Id.  Tom.  v.  fol.  8.  col.  4.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  415 

to  obtain  immortality,  or  to  avoid  imminent  evil.  For  it  must 
be  understood  that  wo  are  forbidden  so  to  do  by  tlie  law 
which  saith,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill:"  namely  since  he  addcth 
not,  "thy  neighbour;"  as  ho  did  in  another  precept,  where 
he  forbiddeth  to  bear  false  witness.  (For  because  he  nameth 
not  thy  neighbour,  ho  doth  in  that  precept  include  thyself 
also^.)  Therefore  is  the  doctrine  of  Seneca  to  be  utterly  con- 
demned, which  counscllcth  men  in  misery  to  despatch  them- 
selves, that  by  death  their  misery  may  be  ended".  And 
St  Augustine,  disputing  against  them  that  do  therefore  murder 
themselves  because  they  will  not  be  subject  to  other  men's 
filthy  lusts'^,  doth  say  :  "  If  it  be  a  detestable  crime  and  a 
damnable  sin  for  a  man  to  murder  himself,  as  the  truth  doth 
manifestly  cry  that  it  is ;  who  is  so  mad  to  say,  Let  us  sin 
now,  lest  peradventurc  hereafter  we  happen  to  sin  ;  let  us  now 
commit  murder,  lest  hereafter  perhaps  we  fJiU  into  adultery  ? 
If  iniquity  have  so  far  the  upper  hand,  that  not  innocency 
but  mischief  is  most  set  by,  is  it  not  better  by  living  to  hazard 
the  chance  of  an  uncertain  dcfloweration  in  time  to  come, 
than  by  dying  to  commit  a  certain  murder  in  the  time  present? 
Is  it  not  far  better  in  such  extreme  times  of  calamity  to 
commit  such  a  fault  as  by  repentance  may  be  forgiven,  than 
to  do  such  a  sin  whereby  no  time  is  left  to  repent  in  ?  This 
have  I  said  because  of  those  wilful  men  and  women,  which,  to 
avoid  not  others'  but  their  own  sin,  lest  perhaps  under 
another's  lust  they  should  consent  to  their  own  being  stirred 
up,  do  think  that  they  ought  to  rid  themselves  from  it  by 
shortening  their  lives.  But  far  be  it  from  a  christian  mind, 
which  trusteth  in  our  God  and  with  a  settled  hope  doth  stay 
on  him  as  on  his  surest  aid ;  far  be  it,  I  say,  from  such  a 
mind  to  yield  to  any  pleasures  of  the  flesh  unto  the  consenting 
to  filthiness.  But  if  the  concupiscential  disobedience,  which 
dwelleth  yet  in  our  mortal  members,  is  against  the  law  of 
our  will  stirred  up  or  moved  by  a  law  of  lier  own  ;  how 
much  rather  is  it  without  blame  in  tlie  body  of  him  that 
consentcth  not,  if  it  be  without  blame  in  the  body  of  him  that 

[*  Tliis  oxi)lanation  is  tlic  translator's.] 

["  Si  jmo^narc  non  vultis,  licot  fu^joro. — Scnor.  do  Proridcnt.  rap. 
G.  In  his  Coniinont.  in  Muttli.  cliap.  xvi.  2,'..  Lib.  vii.  p.  013,  Hnl- 
lingcr's  rcfcronco  on  this  topic  is  to  Sonoc.  ad  Lucil.  Kp.  71] 

[■  ct  poi'font,  Lat.  omittrd  ;  and  commit  sin.] 


416  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

sleepeth' !"     T^hus  much  out  of  Augustine  :  now  do  we  return 
to  our  purpose  again. 

To  proceed  therefore :  they  divide  actual  sins  into  hidden 
or  private,  and  into  manifest  or  pubhc  sins.  Those  hidden 
sins  are  not  such  as  are  hidden  from  men,  being  known  to 
none  but  God  alone ;  of  which  sort  is  hypocrisy  and  the 
depravation  of  man's  disposition ;  but  such  as  are  not  utterly 
without  witnesses,  although  they  be  not  openly  known  and 
made  manifest  to  all  men.  For  on  the  other  side  the  manifest 
and  public  sins  are  committed  with  the  knowledge  and  offence 
of  the  whole  church.  And  these  verily  are  of  both  the 
greater,  and  those  the  lighter,  because  they  touch  the  church 
and  procure  the  offence  of  many  men^ :  touching  which 
the  apostle  speaketh  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  first  epistle  to 
Timothy. 

But  the  most  vulgar  and  apt  distinction  of  actual  sin,  which 
doth  in  a  manner  contain  in  itself  all  the  other  kinds  and 
parts  thereof,  is  that  wherein  it  is  called  either  mortal  or 
venial  sin^.  They  think  that  mortal  sin  is  every  sin  which  is 
committed  of  an  unfaithful  person ;  and  that  venial  sin  is 
[^  Veruntamen  si  detestabile  facinus  et  damnabile  scelus  est  etiam 
seipsum  hominem  occidere,  sicut  Veritas  manifesta  proclamat ;  quis 
ita  desipiat,  ut  dicat,  Jam  nunc  peccomus  ne  postea  forte  peccemus ; 
jam  nunc  perpetremus  homicidium,  no  forte  postea  incidamus  in  adul- 
terium?  Nonne,  si  tantum  dominatur  iniquitas,  ut  non  innocentia 
sad  potius  peccata  eligantur,  satius  est  incertum  de  futuro  adulterium 
quam  certum  de  prajsenti  homicidium  ?  Nonne  satius  est  flagitium 
committere,  quod  poenitendo  sanetui-,  quam  tale  facinus  ubi  locus  sa- 
lubris  poenitentiaj  non  relinquitur?  Hrec  dixi  propter  eos  vel  eas, 
qua3  non  alieni  sed  proprii  peccati  devitandi  causa,  ne  sub  alterius 
libidine  etiam  excitatse  sure  forte  consentiant,  vim  sibi  qua  moriantur 
inferendam  putant.  Ceterum  absit  a  mente  Christiana,  quJB  in  Deo 
suo  fidit,  in  eoque  spe  posita  ejus  adjutorio  nititur ;  absit,  inquam,  ut 
mens  talis  quibuslil)et  carnis  voluptatibus  ad  cousensum  turjtitudinis 
cedat.  Quod  si  ilia  concupiscentialis  inobedicntia,  qus;  adhuc  in 
membris  moribundis  habitat,  prajtcr  nostrre  voluntatis  legem,  quasi 
lege  sua,  movctur ;  quanto  magis  absque  culpa  est  in  corpore  non  con- 
sentientis,  si  absque  culjia  est  in  corpore  dormientis! — August,  de 
Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  i.  cap.  25.  0pp.  Tom.  v.  fol.ll.  col.  2,  3.] 

[2  Et  hsec  (i.e.  publica)  (juidem  sunt  graviora,  ilia  autem  (i.  e.  pri- 
vata)  loviora,quod  videlicet  attinct  homines  et  multorum  oftonsionem, 
Lat.] 

[3  Aquinat.  prim.  sec.  par.  Sunnnjc.  (j[ua!st.  88.  fol.  148,  &c.  Par, 
1615.1 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  417 

every  sin  that  is  done  of  a  fiiithful  man.     I  do  simply  and    ^ 
according  to  the  scriptures  supj)Osc,  tliat  all  the  sins  of  men 
are  mortal ;   for  they  are  done  against  the  law  or  will  of  God. 
But  death  is  due  to  sins  ;   for  the  prophet  cricth :  "The  soul  that  [emk.  xvui. 
sinneth  shall  die  itself;"  and  the  apostle  saith  :  "  The  reward  [Hom.vi.sa.] 
of  sin  is  death."     Yea,  and  deadly  sins  do  take  the  name  of 
death.    To  this  now  do  belong  these  testimonies  of  the  apostle  : 
"This  ye  know,  that  every  fornicator,  or  unclean  person,  orrEnh.  v.  5; 
covetous  person,  which  is  a  worshipper  of  idols,  hath  none  uiViVr.  v. 
inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  God."      The  same 
sentence,  being  again  rehearsed'*  in  the  fifth  to  the  Ephesians, 
is  again  to  be  found  in  the  fifth  to  the  Galatians,  and  the 
fifth  and  sixth  chapters  of  the  first  to  the  Corinthians. 

But  the  sins  which  are  of  their  own  nature  mortal  are 
throu2:h  grace  in  the  fiiith  of  Jesus  Christ  made  venial ;  because 
they  are  through  Christ  forgiven  by  God's  great  favour  and 
mercy.  And  therefore  the  apostle  in  the  sixth  cliaptcr  to  the 
Romans  did  not  say,  "  Let  not  sin  be  in  your  mortal  body :"  rRom.%n.i2: 

"      ,  ,  "^  "^  viii.  I,  12,  13.] 

but,  "  Let  not  sin  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye  should 
obey  to  it  through  the  lusts  thereof."  And  again  ;  "  There  is 
therefore  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
which  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit."  And 
again ;  "  Brethren,  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh,  to  walk 
after  the  flesh.  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die  : 
but  if  by  the  spirit  ye  shall  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  flesh,  ye 
shall  live,"  Therefore  there  is  sin  in  our  body  always  so 
long  as  we  live;  but  by  grace  it  is  not  imputed  unto  death: 
and  they  to  whom  it  is  not  imputed,  do  by  all  means  en- 
deavour to  walk  after  the  spirit,  and  not  after  the  flesh  :  and 
yet  they  do  very  oftentimes  slip  and  fall ;  which  falls  and 
slippings  nevertheless,  together  with  that  infirmity  ^  of  mortal 
men,  are  counted  sins, — I  mean  sins  pardonable  and  not  to  be 
punished  eternally. 

Now  to  mortal  sins  is  that  sin  especially  to  be  referred, 
which  is  called  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost ;  which  some 
do  not  without  a  cause  suppose  to  be  most  properly  called 
mortal  sin  :  of  which  I  will  speak,  when  first  I  liave  some- 
what briefly  answered  to  certain  questions  that  do  depend 
upon  this  argument. 

First  of  all  here  is  demanded,  AVhcthcr  that  sin  or  dis-  }J'''«''''" 

that  the  iin 

ease,  which  after  bapti.sm  remaineth  in  infants,  be  sin  in  very  fcmainingm 
[<  edita,  Lat.  ;  licinij  rclicarscd.]  p  cum  morbo  illo  snntico,  Lat.] 

[bullingeu..  H.J 


418  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

infants  after  dced  ?  Now  it  IS  manifest,  that  concupiscence  remainetli  in 
sin  or  no.  them  that  are  baptized  ;  and  that  concupiscence  is  sin  ;  and 
therefore  that  sin  remaineth  in  them  that  are  baptized  :  which 
sin,  notwithstanding,  is  through  the  grace  of  God  in  the 
merit  of  Jesus  Christ  not  imputed  unto  them.  So  did  St 
Augustine  resolve  this  knot  in  the  first  book  De  Peccatorum 
Meritis  et  Remissione,  cap.  39,  where  he  saith :  "  In  infants 
verily  it  is  so  wrought  by  the  grace  of  God,  through  the 
baptism  of  him  that  came  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  that 
the  flesh  of  sin  should  be  made  void.  And  yet  it  is  made 
void  so,  not  that  the  concupiscence  which  is  spread  and  bred 
in  the  flesh,  while  it  liveth,  should  of  a  sudden  be  consumed, 
vanish  away,  and  not  be;  but  that  it  should  not  hurt  him 
now  being  dead,  in  whom  it  was  even  at  his  birth.  For  it  is 
not  given  in  baptism  to  them  of  more  years,  that  the  law  of 
sin  which  is  in  their  members  contrary  to  the  law  of  their 
mind  should  utterly  be  extinguished  and  not  be  at  all ;  but 
that  all  the  evil,  whatsoever  is  said,  done,  or  thought  of  man, 
when  with  his  captive  mind  he  served  that  concupiscence, 
should  be  utterly  wiped  out,  and  so  reputed  as  though  it  never 
had  been  done^"  Thus  much  hath  Augustine, 
t^l'virtuous  Another  question  is,  Whether  those  works,  that  the  Gen- 

when^are^  tllcs  do,  wliicli  havc  a  shew  of  virtue  and  goodness,  are  sins, 
or  else  good  works?  It  is  assuredly  true,  that  God  even 
among  the  Gentiles  also  had  his  elect.  Now  so  many  such 
as  were  among  them  were  not  without  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
faith.  Therefore  their  works  which  were  wrought  by  faith 
were  good  works,  and  not  sins.  For  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
[Aetsx.  2,4.]  ties  mention  is  made,  that  the  prayers  and  alms-deeds  of 
Cornelius  the  centurion  were  had  in  remembrance  before  God  ; 
and  the  same  Cornelius  is  said  to  have  been  a  devout  man 
and  fearing  God :  whereupon  I  infer  that  he  was  faithful ; 
whose  faith  afterward  is  made  fully  perfect,  and  upon  whom 

\}  In  parvulis  certe,  gratia  Dei,  per  baptismum  ejus  qui  venit  in 
similitudine  carnis  peccati,  id  agitur,  ut  evacuctur  caro  poccati.  Eva- 
cuatur  autem,  non  ut  in  ipsa  vivente  carne  concupiscentia  conspcrsa 
et  inuata  reponte  absumatur  et  non  sit ;  sed  no  obsit  mortuo  qure  in- 
erat  nato .  . .  Nam  nee  grandibus  hoc  prrostatur  in  baptismo  . .  .  ut  lex 
peccati  qua3  inest  in  membris,  ropugnans  legi  mentis,  penitus  extin- 
guatur  et  non  sit ;  sed  ut  quicquid  mali  ab  homine  factum,  dictum, 
cogitatum  est,  cum  cidem  concupiscentifx)  subjecta  mento  serviret, 
totum  aboleatur,  ac  velut  factum  non  fucrit  habcatur. — August.  0pp. 
Tom.  VII.  fol.  141.  col.  3.] 


sins,  or  no .' 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEREOF.  419 

the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  more  plentcously  bestowed. 
]Morcover  the  worthy  deeds  of  the  heathens  arc  not  to  bo  - 
despised  nor  utterly  contcnmed ;  for  as  they  were  not  al- 
together done  without  God,  so  did  they  much  avail  to  tho 
preserving  and  restoring  of  tho  tranquillity  of  kingdoms  and 
commonweals.  And  therefore  did  the  most  just  Lord  enrich 
certain  excellent  men  and  commonweals  with  many  and  ample 
temporal  gifts;  for  upon  the  Greeks  and  many  lloman 
princes  he  bestowed  riches,  victories,  and  abundant  glory  : 
and  verily,  civil  justice  and  public  tranquillity  was  in  great 
estimation  among  many  of  them.  Other  received  inlinitc 
rewards,  because  they  did  constantly  and  manfully  execute 
the  just  judgments  of  God  upon  the  wicked  rebels  and  enemies 
to  God.  Neither  is  it  to  be  doubted  but  that  the  Lord 
granted  that  invincible  power  to  the  Roman  empire  under 
Octavius  Augustus  and  other  lloman  princes,  to  the  end  that 
by  their  strength  he  might  break  and  bring  down  the  invin- 
cible malice  of  the  Jewish  people,  and  so  by  the  Romans 
revenge  the  blood  of  his  Son,  his  holy  prophets,  and  blessed 
apostles,  which  had  been  shed  by  those  furious  and  blasphe- 
mous beasts.  Note  here,  that-  immediately  after  tho  subver- 
sion of  llierusalem  the  Roman  empire  began  to  decline.  Now 
let  us  return  to  the  matter  again. 

Lastly  they  do  demand,  AVhether  the  good  works  of  the  whether  the 

J  tl  '  o  good  works 

saints  and  faithful  ones  be  sins  or  no  ?  Verily,  if  thou  re-  °Je  sfnfo?'* 
spectest  our  corruption  and  infirmity,  then  all  our  works  are  ""' 
sins,  because  they  be  the  works  of  us  which  are  ourselves  not 
•without  filthy  spots ;  and  therefore  the  works  which  be 
■wrought  by  us  cannot  be  so  perfect  as  otherwise  they  ought 
to  be  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  yet  the  very  same  works,  for 
the  faith's  sake  in  us  and  because  we  are  received  into  tho 
grace  of  God,  and  that  therefore  they  are  wrought  of  us 
which  are  now  by  grace  the  sons  of  God,  both  are  indeed 
and  also  called  good^.  For  to  this  end  tcndeth  that  saying 
of  the  apostle  :  "  AVith  the  mind  the  same  I,  or  even  I,  do  serve  riiom.  vn. 
the  law  of  God ;  but  with  the  flesh  the  law  of  sin."  Lo  here, 
one  and  the  same  apostle,  even  being  regenerate,  doth  retain 
in  himself  two  sundry  dispositions ;  so  that  his  very  work, 
working  in  divers  respects,  is  both  sin  and  a  good  work  also. 
For  inasmuch  as  in  mind  he  scrvcth  God,  so  far  forth  ho  doth 
a  good  work ;  but  insomuch  as  ho  again  did  serve  the  law  of 
[2  Ccrto,  Lat. ;  unquestionably.]        [^  anrl  also  called,  not  in  Lat.] 

27—2 


420  THE    THIRD    DECADE,  [sERM. 

the  flesh,  therein  his  work  is  not  without  a  spot.  For  he 
himself  a  Httle  before  in  the  same  seventh  chapter  said:  "I  find, 
when  I  would  do  good,  that  evil  {irapaKeirai,  that  is  to  say) 
is  present  with,  bj,  and  in  me^:"  which  evil  undoubtedly, 
making  always  a  shew  of  itself  in  all  our  words,  works,  and 
thoughts,  doth  cause  that  the  work  which  is  done  of  us, 
when  we  are  regenerate,  cannot  be  so  pure  as  God's  justice 
doth  look  that  it  should  be.  By  the  grace  therefore  and  the 
mercy  of  God  it  is  reputed  and  esteemed  as  pure. 

Hereunto  now  doth  that  sentence  of  our  Lord  in  the  gos- 

[johnxiii.  pel  after  St  John  belong,  where  he  saith  :  "  He  that  is  washed 
hath  no  need  save  to  wash  his  feet,  but  he  is  clean  every 
whit."  For  if  he  be  clean  every  whit,  what  need  hath  the 
clean  to  wash  his  feet  ?  But  if  his  feet  must  be  washed,  how 
then  is  he  clean  every  whit?  And  yet  these  sayings  are  not 
repugnant  betwixt  themselves ;  even  as  also  that  saying  is  not, 
where  we  say  that  good  works^  are  sins.  For  according  to 
the  plentifiilness  and  imputation  of  God's  grace  and  mercy  we 
are  clean  every  whit,  being  throughly  purged  from  all  our 
sins,  so  that  they  shall  not  condemn  us ;  and  yet,  for  because 
there  is  always  in  us  the  law  of  sin  which  sheweth  itself  in 
us^  so  long  as  we  live,  therefore  our  feet,  that  is,  those  evil 
motions  and  naughty  lusts  of  ours,  must  be  resisted  and  to 
our  power  repressed.  Finally,  we  must  acknowledge  that  we 
ourselves'*  and  our  very  works  are  never  without  an  imper- 
fection ;  and  therefore  consequently,  that  all  our  works  and 
"  we  do  stand  in  need  of  the  grace  of  God.  These  questions 
being  thus  resolved,  we  are  now  come  to  expound  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Of  the  sin    ,        The  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  perpetual  blaspheminoj 

against  the  -  *  ^  ^     .  ^  ^  .      ^ 

Holy  Ghost.  01  the  rovcaled  and  known^  truth;  to  wit,  when  we  agamst 
our  conscience  falsely  revolting  from  the  known  truth  do 
without  intermission  both  inveigh  and  rail  against  it.  For 
blasphemy  is  the  evil  speech  or  despiteful  taunts  wherewith 
we  inveigh  against  or  slander  any  man,  by  casting  forth 
wicked  and  detestable  speeches  against  him,  whereby  his 
credit  and  estimation  is  either  cracked  or  utterly  disgraced. 
We  do  therefore  blaspheme  the  magistrates,  our  elders",  and 
other  good  men,  when  we  do  not  only  withdraw  our  obedience 

[1  insideat,  vel  adjaceat,  aut  inhoereat  ac  insitum  sit,  Lat.] 

[2  opera  fidelium  bona,  Lat.]  [3  in  membris  nostris,  Lat.] 

[*  ex  nobis  ipsis,  Lat.]        [c  agnitse,  Lat.]        [c  parentes,  Lat.] 


X.]  OF    SIX,    AND    THE    KINDS    TIIEKEOF.  421 

and  tlio  honour  duo  unto  them,  but  do  also  with  reproachful 
words  bait  them,  not  ceasing  to  call  them  tyrants,  blood- 
suckers, wicked  heads,  and  odible  guides^:  but  wc  do  especially 
blaspheme  God,  when  wc  detract  his  glory,  gainsay  his  grace, 
and  of  set  purpose  do  stubbornly  contemn  and  dispraise  his 
truth  revealed  unto  us  and  his  evident  works  declared  to  all 
the  world. 

Every  sin  verily  is  not  blasphemy,  but  all  blasphemy  is  what  bia«. 
sin  ;  for  because  it  tendeth  against  God  and  his  will,  it  is  jVopwiy' 
sin :  but  therewithal  this  property  more  and  singularity  it 
liath,  that  it  doth  also  despise  God  and  speak  reproachfully 
against  his  works.  Many  do  sin  against  the  doctrine  of  the 
truth,  because  they  do  either  neglect  and  not  receive  the 
truth ;  or  else  because,  when  they  have  received  it,  they  do 
not  reverence  and  set  it  forth^:  but  these  kind  of  men,  though 
they  be  sinners,  do  yet  not  deserve  to  be  called  blasphemers. 
But  if  they  begin  once  with  taunts  and  quips  to  mock  the 
doctrine  which  they  neglect,  calling  it  heretical,  schismatical, 
seditious,  and  devilish,  then  may  they  rightly  be  termed 
blasphemers. 

Wherefore  the  property  of  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
is,  not  only  to  revolt  from  the  truth,  but  also  against  all 
conscience  to  speak  against  the  truth,  and  with  flouts  inces- 
santly to  overwhelm  both  the  very  work  and  most  evident 
revelation  of  the  Lord.  For  the  conscience,  being  by  the 
evidence  of  the  revelation  or  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  convinced, 
suggcsteth  or  telleth  them  that  they  ought  not  only  to  temper 
themselves  from  reproachful  speeches,  but  that  they  ought  to 
do  another  thing  too,  that  is,  that  they  ought  to  yield  to  the 
truth  and  give  to  God  his  due  honour  and  glory.  But  now, 
to  exclude  this  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  reject  and 
overwhelm  it  with  stubborn  falsehood,  flat  apostasy,  wicked 
contradiction,  and  perpetual  contempt,  is  flatly  to  commit  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  this  verily  taketh  beginning  The  b<j.ni- 
of  orijiinal  sin,  and  is  nourished  and  set  forward  by  devilish  Mnacainu 

°.  _        .  ,.,..*'  the  Holy 

suggestions,   our   perverse  aticctions,   by   indignations,  envy,  "host, 
hope  or  fear,  by  stubborn  and   self-wilful   malice,  and  lastly 
by  contumacy  and  rebellion. 

But  now  the  course  of  the  matter  rcquireth  to  hear  what 
the  Lord  said  in  the  gospel  concerning  this  sin.   In  the  twelfth 

[7  cxccramlos,  Lat.  ;  'juidcs  is  tbo  translator's  addition.] 

[8  omant,  Lat.j 


422  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

of  Matthew  he  saith  :  "Every  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given unto  men ;  but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whosoever  speaketh  a 
word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him ;  but 
whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be 
forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come." 
The  same  sentence  of  our  Saviour  is  thus  expressed  in  the 
third  chapter  of  St  Mark's  gospel:^  "All  sins  shall  be  forgiven 
unto  the  children  of  men,  and  blasphemies  wherewith  soever 
they  shall  blaspheme :  but  he  that  speaketh  blasphemy  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  hath  never  forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of 
eternal  damnation."  In  the  twelfth  chapter  after  St  Luke 
these  words  in  a  manner  are  uttered  thus:  "Whosoever 
speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven 
him ;  but  unto  him  that  blasphemeth  the  Holy  Ghost  it  shall 
not  be  forgiven."  In  these  words  of  the  Lord  we  have  here 
mention  made  of  blasphemy  against  the  Son  of  man,  and  of 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost :  of  which  that  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  utterly  unpardonable,  but  that  against  the  Son 
Blasphemy    of  man  is  altogether  venial.      Blasphemy  acjainst  the  Son  of 

against  the  ,  -  i        /.      i  •  ,  •    i 

Son  of  man.   man  IS  Committed  ot  the  ignorant,  which  are  not  yet  en- 
lightened ;  and  doth  tend  against  Christ,  whom  the  blasphemer 
doth  think  to  be  a  seducer,  because  he  knoweth  him  not. 
Such   blasphemers    the  word   of  the  Lord   doth  manifestly 
testify  that  Paul  himself  before  his  conversion  and  a  great 
part  of  the  Jews  were  ;  for  upon  the  cross  the  Lord  prayed, 
[Lukexxiii.  crying  :  "  Father,  forgive  them  ;  for  they  wot  not  what  they 
[icor.  ii.  8.]  do;"   and  the  apostle  Paul  saith:  "If  they  had  known  the 
Lord  of  glory,  they  would  not  have  crucified  him."     Where- 
upon St  Peter  in  the  Acts,  speaking  to  the  Jews,  saith:  "I 
know  that  ye  did  it  through  ignorance ;  now  therefore  turn 
you,  and  repent,  that  your  sins  may  be  wiped  out."    Acts  iii. 
Thebiasphe-  But  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  said  to  be  a 
GhosP*'       continual  fault-finding  or  reproach  against  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God  ;  that  is,  against  the  inspiration,  illumination,  and  works 
of  the  Spirit,     For  when  he  doth  so  evidently  work  in  the 
minds  of  men  that  they  can  ncitlier  gainsay  it  nor  yet  pre- 
tend ignorance,  and  that  for  all  this  they  do  resist,  mock, 
despise,  and  continually  snap  at  the  truth^,  which  they  in  their 

[1  Amen,  dico  vobis,  Lat.  omitted.     Verily,  I  say  unto  you.] 
[2  revclationem  aut  operationcm  illam  Spiritus,  Lat. ;  that  revela- 
tion or  working  of  tlio  Spirit.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    TlIK     KINDS    TIIKHEOF.  423 

consciences  do  know  to  be-*  most  Avliolcsoino  and  truc^;  in  so 
doing  they  do  blaspheme  tho  Holy  Spirit  and  power^  of  God. 
As  for  example:  the  Tharisecs,  being  by  most  evident  reasons 
and  unreprovable  miracles  convinced  in  their  own  minds,  could 
not  deny  but  that  the  doctrine  and  works  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  were  the  truth  and  miracles  of  the  very  God*^;  and  yet, 
against  the  testimony  of  their  own  consciences,  they  did  of 
mere  envy,  rebellious  doggedness,  and  fixlse  apostasy,  con- 
tinually cavil  that  Christ  did  all  by  the  means  and  inspiration 
of  Beelzebub'',  the  devil.  And  little  or  nothing  better  than 
the  Pharisees  arc  those  which,  when  they  have  in  these  days 
once  understood^  that  the  very  truth  and  assured  salvation 
arc  most  simply  and  purely  set  forth  in  Christ,  do  notwith- 
standing forsake  it,  and  allow  of  the  contrary  doctrine,  con- 
demning and  with  mocks ^  railing  upon  the  sound  and  manifest 
truth ;  yea,  and  that  more  is,  they  cease  not  to  clap  their 
hands  and  hiss  at  it,  as  a  damnable  heresy. 

As  this  sin  is  of  all  other  the  filthiest,  so  is  it  not  venial,  f^m  a^ains 
but  utterly  unpardonable ;  for  in  the  gospel  the  Lord  hath  ^^^"fj'J^^;" 
expressly  said  :  "  It  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this 
world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come."  Which  sentence  in  St 
^lark  is  thus  pronounced :  "  He  hath  never  forgiveness,  but  is 
in  danger  of  eternal  damnation."  The  cause  is  manifest.  For 
it  is  unpossible  without  faith  to  please  God  ;  without  faith  there 
is  no  remission  of  sins ;  without  faith  there  is  no  entrance  into 
the  kingdom  of  God.  But  tho  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
mere  apostasy  and  flat'"  rebellion  against  the  true  faith  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  by  his  illumination  doth  pour  into  our  hearts  : 
which  illumination  these  untoward  apostates  do  incessantly 
call  darkness ;  they  name  it  a  mere  seduction,  and  do  with 
taunts  blaspheme  it  openly.  Therefore  this  sin  is  never  for- 
given them  ;  for  they  tread  under  foot  the  grace  of  God,  and 
do  despise  and  make  a  mock  of  the  way  which  Icadeth  to 

[^  optimam,  Lat.  oniittod  ;  tlic  best.] 

['  contra  conscicntiam  propriam,  Lat.  omitted  :  apainst  tlicir  own 
rnnscicnce.] 

[j  and  power,  not  in  Latin.] 

[•>  divina  esse,  Lat.;  wero  divine]         ["  Bcolzcl)ul>,  not  in  Latin.] 

[8  cvangclica  doctrina,  Lat.  omitted ;  by  tlio  piea(  liing  of  the 
gospel.] 

[9  contra  animi  sui  sentcntiam,  Lat.  omitted;  again.st  the  judgment 
of  their  mind.] 

[10  pcrstans,  Lat. ;   obstinate.] 


f  I  John  \ 
1(J-18  ] 


424  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

salvation  ^  Wherefore  St  Paul  in  the  tenth  to  the  Hebrews 
saith :  "If  we  sin  willingly  after  we  have  received  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins, 
but  a  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  violent  fire,  which 
shall  devour  the  adversaries."  Now,  I  pray  you,  what  is  it  to 
sin  willingly  ?  Forsooth,  to  sin  willingly  is  not  to  sin  through 
infirmity,  or  oftentimes  to  fall  into  one  and  the  same  sin :  but 
to  sin  willingly  is  with  a  most  stubborn  contempt  to  sin ;  as 
they  are  wont  to  do,  which  wittingly  and  willingly  do  reject 
and  spurn  at  the  grace  of  God,  not  ceasing  to  make  a  mock 
of  the  cross  and  death  of  Christ,  as  though  it  were  foolish  and 
not  sufficiently  effectual  to  the  purging  of  all  our  sins  :  for 
to  such  there  is  prepared  none  other  sacrifice  for  sins.  And 
such  the  apostle  calleth  the  adversaries,  that  is,  the  contemners 
and  enemies  of  God.  And  therefore  the  same  apostle  in  the 
sixth  chapter  of  the  same  epistle  saith:  "It  cannot  be  that 
they  which  were  once  lighted,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly 
gift,  and  were  become  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have 
tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world 
to  come,  and  they  fall  away,  should  be  renewed  again  into 
repentance ;  crucifying  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh, 
and  making  a  mock  of  him."  He  speaketh  not  here  of  every 
fall  of  the  faithful ;  but  of  wilful  and  stubborn  apostasy.  For 
Peter  fell  and  was  restored  again  through  repentance  :  which 
happeneth  to  more  than  Peter  alone ;  for  all  sinners  are 
through  repentance  daily  restored.  But  unrepentant  Judas  is 
not  restored,  because  he  was  a  wilful^  apostate.  Mockers  and 
blaspemers  are  not  restored  through  repentance,  because  they 
do  obstinately  stand  against  the  known  verity,  and  cease  not  to 
blaspheme  the  way  by  which  alone  they  are  to  be  led  unto  eter- 
nal life.  Therefore  those  places  of  St  Paul  do  make  never  a 
whit  for  the  Novatians^,  but  do  expound  to  us  the  nature  and 
envenomed  force  of  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

St  John  the  apostle  and  evangehst,  disputing  of  this  sin  in 
his  canonical  epistle,  saith :  "If  any  man  sec  his  brother  sin  a 
sin  which  is  not  unto  death,  he  shall  ask,  and  he  shall  give 
him  life  for  them  that  sin  not  unto  death.      There  is  a  sin 

[1  ad  gratiam,  Lat.]  p  pertinax,  Lat.] 

[3  Their  peculiarity  was,  that  they  would  not  receive  into  the 
church  persons  who  after  being  baptized  fell  into  the  greater  sins. 
They  did  not,  however,  exclude  them  from  all  hopes  of  eternal  sal- 
vation.— Moshcim,  Ecclcs.  Hist.  Book  i.  Cent.  3.  Part  2.  ch.  5.  $  18.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEKEOF.  425 

unto  death  ;  I  say  not  that  thou  shouldest  pray  for  if.  All 
unrighteousness  is  sin  :  and  there  is  a  sin  not  unto  death.  Wo 
know  that  whosoever  is  born  of  God  sinneth  not;  but  he  that 
is  begotten  of  God  kecpcth  himself,  and  that  evil  toucheth 
him  not."  St  John  hero  maketh  mention  of  two  sorts  of 
sins :  the  one  unto  death,  that  is,  mortal  and  unpardonable, 
for  which  we  must  not  pray,  that  is  to  say,  prayers  cannot 
obtain  pardon  for  it.  That  sin  is  contumelious  reproach 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  revolting  apostasy,  and  incessant 
mocking  of  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  for  in  the  gospel  after  St 
John  we  read:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  r/ohn  via 
keep  my  sayings,  he  shall  not  see  death  for  ever ;"  and  again: "'  '^*'' 
"If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."  And 
apostasy  in  very  deed  is  iniquity,  and  a  purposed  and  perpe- 
tual sin ;  for  what  is  more  sinful  or  unjust  than  to  strive 
against^  and  make  a  mock  of'  the  known  verity?  The  other 
sin  is  venial,  not  unto  death ;  the  which,  of  what  sort  it  is,  St 
John  declareth  when  he  addeth :  "We  know  that  every  one 
which  is  born  of  God  sinneth  not."  Now  that  saying  must 
not  be  so  absolutely  taken,  as  though  he  sinned  not  at  all : 
but  we  must  understand,  that  he  sinned  not  to  death ;  for 
otherwise  the  very  saints  are  sinners,  as  it  is  evident  by 
the  first  chapter  of  this  epistle.  Furthermore,  that  which 
doth  immediately  follow  in  John  maketh  manifest  that  Avhich 
went  before:  "He  that  is  begotten  of  God,"  saith  he, 
"keepeth  himself;"  that  is,  he  standeth  stedfastly  in  the 
known  truth,  and  taketh  heed  to  himself,  that  that  eviF  touch 
liira  not ;  that  is,  that  he  entrap  him  not,  stir  him  up  against 
God,  nor  retain  him  in  rebellion.  Thus  much  have  I  hitherto 
said  touching  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost^  which  Augus- 
tine did  in  one  place  call  final  impcnitcncy,  which  doth  follow  orendie«s 
upon  apostasy,  blasphemy,  and  contempt  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ancc. 
or  of  the  word  of  truth  revealed  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

[■♦  ut  rogcs,  Lat. ;  and  Erasmus.] 

[5  indcsinenter,  Lat.  oinittcil :  without  ceasing.] 

[6  medium  ostcndcrc  digitum,  is  the  proverb  which  Bullinger  uses.] 

[7  malus  illo,  Lat.] 

[8  Peccatum  in  Spiritum  Sanctum  est  finalis  impoenitcntia:  do  qua 
dicit  Aug. — Oratian.  Dccret.  Par.  ii.  caus.  1.  qurcst.  1.  cap.  81.  p.  G73. 
Par.  1583.  The  treatise  Do  Ver.  et  Fals.  Pa?nitent.  in  which  occur  the 
words, — Soli  peccant  in  Sjjiritum  Sanctum,  qui  impcvnitontcs  o.\istunt 
usque  ad  mortem, — is  considered  to  be  spurious.] 


426  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

orthejust  And  although  I  have  ah-eady,  in  the  handlino-  of  oriirmal 

and  certain  '=>  ''  O  O 

of  r/nnSs"'  ^"^  ^"^^  ^'"^  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  partly  touched  the  effects  of 
sin  ;  yet  to  conclude  this  treatise  \vithal,  I  will  briefly  shew  you 
somewhat  touching  the  just  and  assured  punishment  that  shall 
be  laid  upon  sinners.  For  in  the  definition  of  sin  I  said,  that 
sin  brought  upon  us  the  wrath  of  God  with  death  and  sundry- 
punishments  :  of  which  in  this  place  I  mean  to  speak.  It  is 
as  manifest,  as  what  is  most  manifest,  bj  the  scriptures,  that 
God  doth  punish  the  sins  of  men,  yea,  that  he  punisheth  sin- 
ners for  their  sins.  For  many  places  in  the  scriptures  declare, 
that    God  is  angry  and  grievously  offended  at  the  sins  of 

[Psaiinxi.  mortal  men.  David  crieth  :  "The  Lord  loveth  the  just;  as  for 
the  wicked  and  violent,  his  soul  doth  hate  them.  Upon  the 
ungodly  he  shall  rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone,  storm  and 
tempest ;  this  shall  be  their  portion  to  drink.  For  the  right- 
eous Lord  loveth  righteousness  :  with  his  countenance  he  doth 
behold  the  thing  that  is  just.'*     In  like  mannner  Paul  saith  : 

[Rom.  i.  If?.]  "The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  un- 
godliness and  uncleanness  of  men,  which  withhold^  the  truth 
in  unrighteousness."  And  what  may  be  thought  of  that  more- 
over, that  the  wrath  of  God  for  the  sins  of  us  men  would  be 
by  no  means  appeased^  but  by  the  death  of  the  Son  of  God  ? 
Wherein  verily  the  excellency  of  the  great  price  of  our  re- 
demption doth  argue  the  greatness  and  filthiness  of  our  sin. 
To  all  which  we  may  add,  that  the  good  Lord,  who  loveth 
mankind  so  well,  would  not  have  overwhelmed  us^  with  so 
many  pains  and  exceeding  calamities,  had  not  our  sin  been 
passing  horrible  in  the  sight  of  his  eyes.    For  who*  can  make 

The  plague    a  full  boadrow  of  all  the  calamities  of  miserable  sinners^? 

of  sins. 

The  Lord  for  our  sins  absenteth  himself  from  us^.  But  if  the 
sun  be  out  of  the  earth,  how  great  are  the  mists  and  cloudy 
darkness  in  it?  If  God  be  away  from  us,  how  great  is  the 
horror  in  minds  of  men?  Here  therefore,  as  punishments  due 
to  sinners,  are  reckoned  the  tyranny  of  Satan,  a  thousand 
torments  of  conscience,  the  death  of  the  soul,  dreadful  fear, 
utter  desperation^,  innumerable  calamities  of  body  and  of  our 

[I  detinent,  Lat. ;  witlihokl,  Tyndale  1525,  and  Cranmcr  1539.] 

[^  peccata  mortalium  non  potuerunt  expiari,  Lat.] 

[3  genus  humanum,  Lat.] 

[•*  paucis  ct  in  transcursu,  Lat.  omitted ;  in  few  \Yords  and  by  the  way.] 

[5  peccatorum  poenas,  Lat.]  ["^  alienatur,  Lat.] 

p  ct  infandi  dolorcs,  Lat.  omitted;  and  griefs  not  to  be  described.] 


X.]  OF    SIN,    AND    THE     KINDS    THEUKOF.  -127 

other  faculties,  which  Moses  the  servant  of  God  doth  at  large 
rehearse  in  the  twenty-sixth  of  Leviticus  and  the  twenty- 
eighth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  And  now,  since  new  sins 
are  daily  scourged  with  new  kinds  of  punishments,  what  end, 
I  pray,  is  any  man  ahlc  to  make,  if  he  should  go  about  to 
reckon  them  all^  ? 

It  is  not  to  be  doubted,  verily,  but  that  the  Lord  doth  The  Lrr<i 
punish  sinners  justly  ;  for  he  is  liiniself  a  most  just  Judge,  sinnere""" 
And  for  because  it  is  a  mad  man's  par^to  doubt  of  the  justice, 
oniiiipotency,  and  wisdom  of  God ;  it  followcth  therefore  con- 
sequently, that  all  religious  and  godly  men  do  hold  for  a 
certainty^  that  the  punishments,  which  God  doth  lay  upon 
men,  arc  laid  upon  them  by  most  just  judgment. 

But  how  great  and  what  kind  of  punishment  is  duo  to 
every  fault  and  several  transgression,  belongeth  rather  to 
God's  judgment  to  determine,  than  for  mortal  men  too  curi- 
ously to  inquire.  Whereupon  St  Augustine,  Tracta.  in 
Joan.  89,  saith :  "  There  is  a  great  diversity  of  punishments, 
as  of  sins;  which  how  it  is  ordained,  the  wisdom  of  God 
doth  more  deeply  declare,  than  man's  conjectures  can  possibly 
seek  out,  or  utter  in  words'"."  He  verily  which  in  his  law 
given  to  men  gave  this  for  a  rule,  "According  to  the  measure 
of  the  sin,  so  shall  the  measure  of  the  punishment  be'^ ;"  being 
himself  most  equal  and  just,  doth  not  in  judgment  exceed 
measure.  Abraham,  in  the  notable  communication  had  with 
God  which  is  reported  in  the  eighteenth  of  Genesis,  doth 
among  other  things  say:  "  AVilt  thou  destroy  the  just  with 
the  wicked  ?  That  be  far  from  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  do 
such  a  thing,  and  slay  the  righteous  with  the  wicked,  and 
that  the  righteous  should  be  as  the  wicked.  That  is  not  thy 
part,  that  judgest  all  the  earth ;  thou  shalt  not  make  such 
judgment '2_"  Hereunto  also  belongeth  that  notable  demon- 
stration, which  the  Lord  usetli  toward'^  Jonas  being  angry 

[8  quis,oro,poonarumfini.'5,autquisircncra omnia commomoict?  Lat.] 

P  imo  compcrtissimo,  Lat.  omitted ;  yea,  for  a  most  assured  cer- 
tainty.] 

['"  Tanta  est  autcm  suppliciorum,  quanta  divci-sitas  pcccatorum; 
qiuc  quomodo  SC80  hahcat,  altius  indicat  sapiontia  divina  quam  con- 
jectura  scrutatur  aut  effatur  humana. — August.  0pp.  Tom.  ix.  fol.  !)4. 
col.  4.  Par.  1531.] 

[11  Dcut.  XXV.  2.  cf.  Vol.  I.  page  35G,  note  4.] 

[12  Gen.  xviii.  23,  25.  Vulgat.] 

[13  prophotam,  Lat.  omitted ;  the  prophet.] 


428  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

with  the  Lord  because  of  his  judgments:  for  he  sheweth 
that  he  hath  justly  a  care  of  the  infants,  yea,  and  of  the 
cattle  in  Ninive.  The  place  is  extant  ^  in  the  fourth  chapter 
of  the  prophecy  of  Jonas.  Let  us  therefore  stedfastly  hold, 
that  the  Lord,  when  he  punisheth,  doth  injury  to  no  creature 
which  he  hath  made.  Here  therefore  the  disputations  and 
questions  come  to  an  end,  wherein  men  are  wont  to  demand. 
Why  the  Lord  doth  sometimes  use  so  sharp  torments  towards 
infants  or  sucklings?  ^r  why  he  rewardeth  temporal  offences 

[Psalm  cxiv.  -with  eternal  punishments  ?  "  For  the  Lord  is  righteous  in  all 
his  ways,  and  holy  in  all  his  works."  As  David  did  most 
truly  witness,  where  as  in  another  place  he  saith  :  "  Thou  art 

[Psalm exix.  just,  0  Lord,  and  thy  judgment  is  right."  Blessed  is  he  that 
stumbleth  not  here,  and  doth  not  murmur  against  the  Lord. 

God^unish-  But  if  it  so  happen  that  the  Lord  at  any  time  do  some- 

sharpiy.  what  loug  defer  the  judgment  and  punishment,  we  must  not 
therefore  think  that  he  is  unjust,  because  he  spareth  the 
wicked,  and  sharply  correcteth^  his  friends  and  their  vices. 
Let  us  rather  lay  before  our  eyes  the  evangelical  parable  of 
the  rich  glutton  and  poor  silly  Lazarus :  for  Lazarus,  though 
he  was  the  friend  of  God,  did  notwithstanding  die  for  want 
of  food  :  the  other,  though  he  was  God's  enemy,  did  spend 
his  life  in  dainty  fare  and  pleasures,  and  felt  none  ill.  But 
hearken  after  this  life  what  their  judgment  was.      Abraham 

[Lukexvi.  saith  to  tlio  rich  glutton:  "My  son,  remember  that  thou  in 
thy  hfetime  receivedst  thy  good,  and  Lazarus  hkewise  re- 
ceived evil :  but  now  he  rejoiceth,  and  thou  art  tormented.'* 
Therefore  if  the  godly  be  at  any  time  afflicted  in  this  present 
life,  they  shall  be  abundantly  rewarded  for  it  in  the  life  to 
come :  but  if  the  wicked  be  spared  in  this  world,  they  are 
more  grievously  punished  in  the  world  to  come :  for  God  is 
just,  and^  rewardeth  every  man  according  to  his  merit. 

If  hereafter  therefore  thou  shalt  chance  to  see  the 
wicked  live  in  prosperity,  think  not  thou  by  and  by  that 
God  is  unjust:  suppose  not  that  his  power  is  abated'*;  and 
say  not  that  he  sleepeth,  and  seeth  them  not.  For  that  say- 
ing of  the  prophet,  which  is  also  used  by  the  apostle  Peter, 

[1  notus  est,  Lat. ;  is  well  known.] 
[2  interim,  Lat.  omitted  ;  in  the  mean  season,] 
[3  ergo,  Lat.  ;  and  therefore.] 

[*  Noli  putare  Deum  esse  ficulneum,Lat.     See  Erasmi  Adag.  Chi- 
liad, p.  95.  col.  2.  auxilium  injirmum.] 


X.]  OF    Siy,    AND    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  429 

is  assuredly  true  :  "  Tlic  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  just,  (Psai.xxxiv. 
and  Ills  cars  open  unto  their  prayers ;"  again  :   "  Tlie  eyes  lii!  I'i.'] 
of  the  Lord  arc  upon  them  that  do  wickedness."     We  must 
in  such  a  case  fortify  our  minds   with  the   just  examples  of 
God's  judgments,  gathered  together  out  of  the  holy  scriptures. 
Let  us  consider  that  the  world  was  destroyed  with  the  ge-  Example*  of 
neral  deluge,  when  God  had  in  vain  a  long  time  looked  after  puniihing. 
repentance.      Let  us  remember  that  Sodom,   Gomorrha,  and 
the  cities  adjacent  thereabout,  were  burnt  with  fire  sent  down 
from  heaven.      Let  us  think  upon  Egypt,  how  it  was  stricken 
with  divers  plagues^  and  the  inhabitants  drowned  in  the  lied 
sea.      Let  us  call  to  mind  the  things  that  happened  by  the 
holy  and  just  judgment  of  God  to  the  Amorhites,  the  Cha- 
naanites,  the  Amalechitcs,  and  the  very  Israelites,  first  under 
their  judges,  then  under  their  kings.      Their  measure  at  last 
was  fully  filled.  Neither  did  they  at  any  time  despise  God  and 
his  word,  but  were  at  the  last  paid  home  for  their  labour. 
They  never  sinned  and  went  scot-free  long^.      The  history  of 
Paulus  Orosius,    yea,  the  universal  history  of  all  the  world, 
do  minister   unto  us   innumerable   examples  like  unto  these, 
declaring  the  certainty  of  God"'s  judgment'.      Let  us  think^ 
that  God  doth   not   therefore  allow   of   sins,   because  he  is 
slack  in  punishing  them  ;   but  let  us  persuade  ourselves,   that  ood-s  long 
he  by  the  prolonging  of  punishment  doth  of  his  unmeasurablc  ^"'^""'^• 
goodness  both  look  and  stay  for  the  repentance  and  conver- 
sion of  miserable  sinners.    For  in  the  gospel  the  Lord  biddeth  [i.ukexiii. 
not  to  cut  down  the  barren  fig-tree,  because  he  looked  to  sec 
if  it  would  bring   any   fruit   the  next  year  following.      The 
apostle  Paul  saith  :  "  Despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  good- [Rom.  h.  4- 
ness  and  patience  and  long-suifcrance ;  not  knowing  that  the  * 
goodness  of    God  leadeth   thee  to  repentance  ?     But  thou, 
after  thy  stubbornness  and  heart  that  cannot  repent,  hcapest 
unto  thyself  wi-ath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  declaration 
of  the   righteous  judgment  of  God,  which  will  reward  every 
man  according  to  his   deeds :   to  them  which  by  continuing 
in   well-doing  seek  for   glory,  and  honour,   and  immortality, 
eternal  life  ;   but  unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do   not 
obey  the  truth   but  obey   unrighteousness,  shall  come   indig- 

[5  primum — dcindc,  Lat.  omitttMl ;  first,  and  tlicn.] 
[«  Cf.  above,  pages  0—1.3.] 

[7  justi  judicii,  Lat. ;  tho  justice  of  God's  ju<I,<;;mciit.] 
[8  prccterca,  Lat.  omitted;  besides.] 


'  grace 
God 


13,  10.] 


430  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM. 

nation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul 
of  man  that  doth  evil."  This,  I  say,  let  us  firmly  hold,  and 
with  this  let  us  content  ourselves,  not  grudging  to  see^  the 
wicked  live  long  in  prosperity  without  pain  or  punishment. 
The  holy,  just,  wise,  and  mighty  God  knoweth  best  what  to 
do,  how  to  do,  why  and  when  to  do  everything  conveniently. 
To  him  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 
Why  sins  are         To  this  belonocth  also,  that  God  doth  as  well  afflict  the 

plagued  with  iii  i  •  t  •    ^      t 

temporal      good  as    the  Dad ;  touching  which  1  spake  at  laro-e  in  the 

punishments,  o  '  o  r  o 

thatthey"a1-e  ^^^^^^  scrmon  of  this  third  Decade ^  Now  here  therefore  some 
[hSrace'df  ^^^^^^'^  are  which  demand,  why  God  doth  with  divers  punish- 
ments persecute  those  sins  which  he  hath  already  forgiven  to 
men?  For  he  forgave  Adam  his  sin,  and  yet  he  laid  on  him 
both  death  and  innumerable  calamities  of  this  life  beside. 
[2Sam. xii.  To  David  we  read  that  the  prophet  Nathan  said,  "The 
Lord  hath  taken  thy  sin  away : "  and  yet  immediately  after 
the  same  prophet  addeth  :  "  The  sword  shall  not  depart  from 
thy  house."  To  this  we  answer  simply,  that  these  plagues, 
which  are  laid  on  us  before  the  remission  of  our  sins,  are  the 
punishments  due  to  our  sins ;  but  that  after  the  remission  of 
our  sins  they  are  conflicts  and  exercises,  wherewith  the  faith- 
ful do  not  make  satisfaction  for  their  sins,  which  are  already 
remitted  by  grace  in  the  death  of  the  Son  of  God;  but  where- 
with they  are  humbled  and  kept  in  their  duty,  having  an 
occasion  given  of  the  greater  glory. 

And  here  I  will  not  stick  to  recite  unto  you,  dearly  beloved, 
St  Augustine's  judgment  touching  this  matter  in  his  second 
book  De  Peccatorum  Meritis  et  Remissions,  chap.  33,  and  34, 
where  he  saith :  "  Things,  the  guilt  whereof  God  absolveth  or 
remitteth,  to  the  end  that  after  this  life  they  should  do  no  harm, 
and  yet  he  suffereth  them  to  abide  unto  the  conflict  of  faith, 
that  by  them  men  may  be  instructed  and  exercised,  profiting 
in  the  conflict  of  righteousness,"  &c.  And  presently  after : 
"Before  forgiveness,  they  are  the  punishments  of  sinners  ;  but 
after  remission,  they  are  the  conflicts  and  exercises  of  just 
men."  And  again,  after  a  few  words  more  he  saith :  "  The 
flesh  which  was  first  made  was  not  the  flesh  of  sin,  wherein 
man  would  not  keep  righteousness  among  the  pleasures  of 
paradise.  Wherefore  God  ordained  that,  after  his  sin,  the  flesh 
of  sin  being  increased  should  endeavour  with  pains  and  labours 

[^  Rather,  however  the  wiclceil  may,  &c.  utciinquo,  Lat.] 
[2  Sec  above,  page  75.] 


X.]  OF    SIN.    AND    THE    KINDS    THEREOF.  431 

to  recover  riglitcousncss  again.     And  for  that  cause  Adam 
being  cast  out  of  paradise  dwelt  over  against  Eden,  that  is, 
against  the  place  of  pleasures;  which  was  a  sign  that  with 
labours,  which  are  contrary  to  pleasure,  the  flesh  of  sin  was 
then  to  be  inured,  which,  being  in  pleasures,  kept  not  obedi- 
ence before  it  was  the  flesh  of  sin.     Therefore  even  as  those 
our  first  parents,  by  living  justly  afterward,  whereby  they 
are  rightly  thought  to  be  by  the  blood  of  Christ  delivered 
from  utter  punishment,  deserved  not  yet  in  that  life  to  bo 
called  back  again   into   paradise;    so  also   the  flesh  of  sin, 
although  when  sins  are  forgiven  a  man  live  righteously  in  it, 
doth  not  presently  deserve  not  to  sufter  that  death  which  it 
drew  from  the  propagation  of  sin.     Such  a  like  thing  is  insi- 
nuated to  us  in  the  book  of  the  Kings  concerning  the  patriarch 
David ;  to  whom  when  the  prophet  was  sent,  and  had  threat- 
ened unto  him  the  evils  that  should  come  upon  him  through 
the  anger  of  God  because  of  the  sin  which  he  had  committed, 
by  the  confession  of  the  sin  he  deserved  forgiveness,  according 
to  the  answer  of  the  prophet  who  told  him  that  that  sin  and  Absoion 
crime  was  forgiven  unto  him ;  and  yet  those  things  betided  ^^'^^f^^^t^i' 
him  which  God  had  threatened   unto  him.  to  wit,  that  he 
should  so  be  humbled  by  the  incest  of  liis  son,  &c, 
what  is  the  cause  that  they  demand  not,  If  God  for  sin  did 
threaten  that  scourge,  why  then,  when  he  had  pardoned  the 
sin,  did  he  fulfil  that  which  he  threatened  ?  but  for  because 
they  know  (if  they  demand  that  question)  that  they  shall 
rightly  be  answered.  That  the  remission  of  the  sin  was  granted 
to  the  end  the  man  should  not  be  by  his  sin  hindered  to  obtain 
eternal  life :  but  the  effect  of  God's  threatening  did  follow 
after  the  remission  of  the  sin,  to  the  end  that  the  godliness  of 
the  man  might  be  tried  and  exercised  in  that  humility.     In 
like  manner  God  hath  for  sins  laid  bodily  death  as  a  punish- 
ment upon  the  body  of  man  ;  and  after  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
hath  not  taken  it  away,  but  left  it  in  the  body  to  be  a  mean 
to  the  exercise  of  righteousness^"     Thus  far  hath  Augustine. 

[3  _res,  quarum  rcatuni,  no  post  hanc  vitam  obsiiit,  Dous  solvit, 
tameu  cas  ad  ccrtamcn  n<lci  sinit  inanorc,  ut  per  illas  crudiaiitur  ct 
exercoantur  proficiontes  in  agonc  Justitiic  .  . .  respoiidemus  dicentes, 
ante  romissioiicm  esse  ilia  supplicia  i)occatorum  ;  post  remissioncm 
autcm  ccrtaniiiia  excrcitationcsquo  justoruin  .  . .  Caro  cnim,  qurc  jiriino 
facta  est,  non  crat  caro  poccati,  etc. — August.  0pp.  Tom.  vu.  fol.  147. 
col.  1.  2.  3.] 


saith  that 

Daviil  was 

AT  humbled. 


432  THE    THIRD    DECADE.  [sERM.   X.] 

How  the  Now  as  Concerning  the  punishments  of  the  wicked,  (if  the 

punished,      most  just  God  do  in  this  world  touch  them  with  any,)  let  us 
know  that  thej  be  the  arguments^  of  God''s  just  judgment, 
who  in  this  world  beginneth  to  punish  them  temporally,  and 
in  the  world  to  come  doth  not  cease  to  plague  them  everlast- 
ingly.   The  wicked,  verily,  perish  through  their  own  default ; 
for  God  beginneth  to  whip  them  in  this  life,  to  the  end  that 
they,  being  chastened,  may  begin  to  be  wise,  and  turn  to  the 
Lord:  but  they 2,  by  his  chastisement,  are  the  more  indurate, 
and  murmur  at  the  judgments  of  God,  converting  that  to  their 
own  destruction  which  was  ordained  to  have  been  to  their 
health.     For  as  to  them  that  love  God  all  things  work  to  the 
best,  so  to  them  that  hate  the  Lord  all  things  do  work  to  their 
utter  destruction.      This  argument  might  be  extended  further 
yet ;   but  for  because  I  have  already  spoken  a  great  deal  to 
this  effect  in  the  third  sermon  of  this  third  Decade,  that  which 
is  here  left  out  may  there  be  found  ;  and  therefore  I  refer  you 
to  the  looking  upon  that^.    And  so  now  hitherto  touching  sin. 
I  have  with  somewhat  too  long  a  sermon,  dearly  beloved, 
by  more  than  the  space  of  two  whole  hours  detained  you 
here.      That  therefore  I  may  now  make  an   end,  let  us 
humbly  acknowledge  our   sins,   and   meekly   cry   with 
prayers  unto  the  Lord,  which  sitteth  in  the  throne 
of  grace,  saying  :  Have  mercy  upon  us,  O 
Lord,  for  against  thee  have  we  sinned, 
and  do  confess  our  oifences.     Thy 
debtors  are  we ;  forgive  thou  us 
our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our 
debtors  :  and  lead  us  not 
into   temptation :    but 
deliver    us    from 
evil.  Amen. 

The  End  of  the  Third  Decade  of  Sermons. 

[1  i.  e.  proofs,  evidences.] 

[2  non  convevtuntur  ad  se  percutientem,  scd,  Lat.  omitted ;  are  not 
turned  to  him  that  smiteth  them,  but,  &c.] 
[3  See  above,  page  79.] 


/ 


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